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HARVARD UNIVERSITY
LIBRARY OF
English A
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THE MODERN DRAMA SERIES
EDITED BY EDWIN BJORKMAN
THE GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN : THE GOLDEN
DOOM : KING ARGIMENES AND THE UN-
KNOWN warrior: the glittering gate:
THE LOST SILK HAT : BY LORD DUNSANY
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FIVE PLAYS
TEE GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN
THE GOLDEN DOOM
KING ARGIMENES AND THE UNKNOWN WARRIOR
THE GLITTERING GATE
THE LOST SILK HAT
BY
LORD DUNSANY
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BOSTON
LITTLE, BROWN, AND COMPANY
1919
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/IharvarcTN
university!
LIBRARY
^ APR 26 WlJ
Copyright, 1914,
By Little, Brown, and Company
AU Dramatic rights reserved by
the Author
These plays are ftiHy protected by the copyright lew, ell require-
ments of which here been complied with. In their present printed
form they ere dedicated to the reeding public only, end no perform-
ance of them, either professional or amateur, may be given without
the written permission of the owner of the acting rights, who may
be addressed in oare of the publishers, little, Brown, and Company*
COMPOSITION AND ELECT* OTYPINO IT
HE PLIMPTON FIXES • NORWOOD • MASS • U • 8 • A
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CONTENTS
PAOS
Introduction vii
Chkonological List op Plays xiii
The Gods op the Mountain " 1
The Golden Doom 89
King Argim£n£s and the Unknown Warrior 61
The Glittering Gate 87
The Lost Silk Hat x 101
/
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INTRODUCTION
OBSERVATION and imagination are the basic
V^/ principles of all poetry. It is impossible to con-
ceive a poetical work from which one of them is wholly
absent. Observation without imagination makes for
obviousness; imagination without observation turns
into nonsense. What marks the world's greatest
poetry is perhaps the presence in almost equal pro-
portion of both these principles. But as a rule wc
find one of them predominating, and from this one-
sided 'emphasis the poetry of the period derives its
character as realistic or idealistic.
The poetry of the middle nineteenth century made
a fetish of observation. It came as near excluding
imagination as it could without ceasing entirely to be
poetry. That such exaggeration should sooner or
later result in a sharp reaction was natural. The
change began during the eighties and gathered full
headway in the early nineties. Imagination, so long
scorned, came into its rights once more, and it is
rapidly becoming the dominant note in the literary
production of our own day.
The new movement has been called " neo-romantic "
and " symbolistic." Both these names apply, but
neither of them exhausts the contents or meaning of
the movement which received its first impetus from
Ibsen and which later found its typical embodiment
in Maeterlinck. From this movement came much of
viii
INTRODUCTION
the inspiration that produced the poetical re-birth of
Ireland out of which has sprung the man whom I have
now the pleasure of introducing to American readers:
a man with imagination as elfish as moonlight mist.
Edward John Moreton Drax Plunkett, Lord Dun-
sany, is the eighteenth member of his family to bear
the title which gives him a place in the Irish peerage.
He was born in 1878 and received his education at
Eton and Sandhurst. In 1899 he succeeded his father
to the title and the family estate in Meath, Ireland.
During the South African war he served at the front
with the Coldstream Guards. He is passionately fond
of outdoor life and often spends the whole day in the
saddle before sitting down at his desk to write late
at night.
His work proves, however, that he is as fond of
spiritual as of physical exercise, and that he is an
inveterate traveller in those mysterious regions of the
partly known or wholly unknown where the imagina-
tion alone can guide us. His first literary heroes were
the brothers Grimm and Andersen. Then the Greek
world of Olympians was revealed to him, making a
lasting impression on his mind. But it was the Bible
that gave him the limpid style which makes his most
fantastic tales as real as government reports — or
rather much more so. " For years no style seemed to
me natural but that of the Bible," he said not long
ago, " and I feared that I would never become a writer
when I saw that other people did not use it."
For something like ten years he has been a pretty
frequent and increasingly valued contributor to Eng-
lish and Anglo-Irish periodicals. He has previously
published five volumes : " The Gods of Pegana," 1905 ;
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INTRODUCTION
"Time and the Gods," 1906; "The Sword of Welle-
ran," 1908; "A Dreamer's Tales," 1910; and "The
Book of Wonder ," 1912. All are collections of prose
pieces that defy accepted classifications. They are
fairy tales and short stories and essays and prose
poems at the same time.
The reader has only to take a brief glance at one
of those works to make the astounding discovery that
he is being introduced to worlds of which he has never
heard before. Even the " Arabian Nights " have a
clearly identifiable background of popular legend and
myth. Nothing of the kind is to be found in the
writings of Lord Dunsany. He may be said to have
created a new mythology wholly his own. He is not
only the master but the maker of the countries to
which he takes us on such fascinating jaunts. His
commonest name for them is the Edge of the World,
but sometimes he speaks of them as the Lands of
Wonder. This latter name is doubly significant, for
the whole movement of which he forms such a striking
manifestation has been defined as a "renascence of
wonder."
The names of places and persons appearing in the
stories of Lord Dunsany are worth a study in them-
selves. There are hundreds of them, giving evidence
of an inexhaustible imagination; and each one of
them is as aptly suggestive as if generations of men
had been at work shaping them. To hear of Sarda-
thion, the city built by the Gods of Old, is to see its
domes of marble rising sky-high in the sunset-lighted
air. To hear of Slith and Sippy and Slorg, the three
thieves who went to the Edge of the World in quest
of the Golden Box, is to feel as if one were dealing
X
INTRODUCTION
with historical characters like Aaron Burr or Chinese
Gordon. And as we learn more about them, these
fanciful creatures of Lord Dunsany's brain assume
still more familiar characteristics, as if they had been
studied in some Irish village or English street. It
is this fact that reveals one of the main secrets of
Lord Dunsany's appeal: that behind all his exuberant
imagination lies a solid basis of observation, enabling
him to endow the most impossible adventures with a
homely and convincing air.
The five plays contained in the present volume have
all been produced on the stage. "The Golden Doom"
and "The Gods of the Mountain" have been staged
most successfully at the Haymarket Theatre, London.
"King Argimenes" and "The Glittering Gate" have
been given by the Irish Players, and "The Lost Silk
Hat" has been put on by Iden Payne at Manchester. In
America, the first three have been in the repertoire of
Stuart Walker's Portmanteau Theatre, and " The Glitter-
ing Gate " has been given by the Neighborhood Players.
After seeing "The Gods of the Mountain," Prank
Harris wrote: "It was one of the nights of my life;
the only play, I said to myself, which meant anything
to me in twenty years or more." Without sharing
the opinion of Mr. Harris about the dramatic output
of the last twenty years, I share fully his enthusiasm
in regard to the play that caused his remark. The
note struck in it is so distinctly new as to make one
gasp as under a sharp shock. But the surprise turns
quickly into pleasure such as only the originality of
genius can confer.
It is hard to define just what makes these plays
what they are. But certain qualities are tangible.
INTRODUCTION
xi
Their deep and rich symbolism is one. It is the kind
of symbolism for which the advances of modern
psychology had prepared us — the kind that is in-
separable from life itself as we are only just beginning
to understand it. Another quality is their capacity
for suggesting at once the intimate unity and ap-
palling vastness of life. In " The Golden Doom" the
fate of an empire and a little boy's desire for a new
plaything become linked as facts of equal importance
in the web of fate. In " The Gods of the Mountain 99
we meet with an atmosphere of fatality comparable
only to that found in the Greek dramas. The crime
of hybris, which to the Greeks was the " unforgivable
sin/' is here made as real to us as it was to them.
But these remarks of mine about the inner signifi-
cance of the plays should not tempt anybody into
thinking them deficient in that element of formal per-
fection without which they could not be classed as
works of art. They are, indeed, " things of beauty,"
and their beauty inheres in their design as well as in
their style. Through all^pf them the greatest possible
economy of means has been observed, so that not a
word, not a tone, not a gesture is wasted in obtaining
the effect aimed at. The dialogue of Maeterlinck is
suggested, but not more than suggested. The words
spoken by the characters of Maeterlinck are often so
vague as to be practically meaningless. The char-
acters of Lord Dunsany speak as simply as those of
Maeterlinck, but always sharply to the point; there
can be no mistaking of what they mean, and that
meaning serves always to carry the action of the play
forward. And each play of Lord Dunsany's is an
exciting adventure, conveying to the reader an exhila-
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INTRODUCTION
rating sense of motion without ever descending to
old-fashioned stage tricks for the production of that
sense. This means that they combine to an extraordi-
nary degree the qualities which make separately for
theatrical or literary success.
Edwin Bjobkman.
CHRONOLOGICAL LIST OP PLAYS
BY LORD DUNSANY
The Glittering Gate, 1909
King ArgimenEs and the Unknown Warrior, 1911
The Gods op the Mountain, 1911
The Golden Doom, 1912
The Lost Silk Hat, 1913
The Tents op the Arabs, 1915
A Night at an Inn, 1916
The Queen's Enemies, 1916
The Laughter of the Gods, 1917
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THE GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN
i
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PERSONS
AOHAB
Slag
Ulf
Oogno * Beggars
Thahn
Mlan
A Thief
OOEANDEE
Lllanaun \ Citizens
Axmos
The Dbomedakt Men
Citizens, etc.
( The Othebs
Scene: The East
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THE GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN
THE FIRST ACT
Outside a city wall. Three beggars are seated upon
tJie ground.
OOGNO
These days are bad for beggary.
THAHN
They are bad.
ulf (cm older beggar but not gray)
Some evil has befallen the rich ones of this city.
They take no joy any longer in benevolence, but
are become sour and miserly at heart. Alas for
them! I sometimes sigh for them when I think of
this.
OOGNO
Alas for them! A miserly heart must be a sore
affliction.
THAHN
A sore affliction indeed, and bad for our calling.
oogno (reflectively)
They have been thus for many months. What thing
has befallen them?
THAHN
Some evil thing.
There has been a comet come near to the earth of
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4 GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN [act i
late and the earth has been parched and sultry so
that the gods are drowsy and all those things that
are divine in man, such as benevolence, drunkenness,
extravagance, and song, have faded and died and
have not been replenished by the gods.
OOGNO
It has indeed been sultry.
THAHN
I have seen the comet o' nights.
TJLF
The gods are drowsy.
OOGNO
If they awake not soon and make this city worthy
again of our order I for one shall forsake the call-
ing and buy a shop and sit at ease in the shade
and barter for gain.
THAHN
You will keep a shop?
[Enter Agmar and Slag. Agmar, though poorly
dressed, is taM, imperious, and older than Ulf. Slag
follows behind him.
OOGNO
Yes, master, a poor beggar.
AGMAB
How long has the calling of beggary existed?
OOGNO
Since the building of the first city, master.
AGMAB
And when has a beggar ever followed a trade?
When has he ever haggled and bartered and sat
in a shop?
AGMAB
Is this a beggar who speaks?
act i] GODS OP THE MOUNTAIN 5
OOGNO
Why, he has never done so.
AGMAB
Are you he that shall be first to forsake the calling?
OOGNO
Times are bad for the calling here.
THAHN
They are bad.
AGMAB,
So you would forsake the calling?
OOGNO
The city is unworthy of our calling. The gods are
drowsy and all that is divine in man is dead. (To
third beggar) Are not the gods drowsy?
ULF
They are drowsy in their mountains away at
Marma. The seven green idols are drowsy. Who
is this that rebukes us?
THAHN
Are you some great merchant, master? Perhaps
you will help a poor man that is starving.
SLAG
My master a merchant! No, no. He is no mer-
chant. My master is no merchant.
OOGNO
I perceive that he is some lord in disguise. The
gods have woken and have sent him to save us.
SLAG
No, no. You do not know my master. You do
not know him.
THAHN
Is he the Soldan's self that has come to rebuke us?
6 GODS OP THE MOUNTAIN [act i
AGMAB
I am a beggar, and an old beggar.
slag (with great pride)
There is none like my master. No traveller has
met with cunning like to his, not even those that
come from ^Ethiopia.
ULF
We make you welcome to our town, upon which
an evil has fallen, the days being bad for beggary.
AGMAB
Let none who has known the mystery of roads or
has felt the wind arising new in the morning, or
who has called forth out of the souls of men divine
benevolence, ever speak any more of any trade or
of the miserable gains of shops and the trading
men.
OOGNO
I but spoke hastily, the times being bad.
AGMAB
I will put right the times.
SLAG
There is nothing that my master cannot do.
agmab (to Slag)
Be silent and attend to me. I do not know this
city. I have travelled from far, having somewhat
exhausted the city of Ackara.
SLAG
My master was three times knocked down and in-
jured by carriages there, once he was killed and
seven times beaten and robbed, and every time he
was generously compensated. He had nine diseases,
many of them mortal —
act i] GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN 7
AGMAR
Be silent, Slag. — Have you any thieves among the
calling here?
ULF
We have a few that we call thieves here, master,
but they would scarcely seem thieves to you. They
are not good thieves.
AGMAB
I shall need the best thief you have.
[Enter two citizens richly clad, Illanaun and Oo-
rander.
ILLANAUN
Therefore we will send galleons to Ardaspes.
O OB AN DEE
Right to Ardaspes through the silver gates.
[Agmar transfers the thick handle of his long staff
to his left armpit, he droops on to it and it sup-
ports his weight; he is upright no longer. His
right arm hangs limp and useless. He hobbles up
to the citizens imploring alms.
ILLANAUN
I am sorry. I cannot help you. There have been
too many beggars here and we must decline alms
for the good of the town.
agmab (sitting down and weeping)
I have come from far.
[Illanaun presently returns and gives Agmar a
com. Exit Iilanaun. Agmar, erect ogam, walks
back to the others.
AGMAB
We shall need fine raiment; let the thief start at
once. Let it rather be green raiment.
8 GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN [act i
BEGGA&
I will go and fetch the thief. (Exit)
TJLF
We will dress ourselves as lords and impose upon
the city,
OOGNO
Yes, yes; we will say we are ambassadors from a
far land.
TJLF
And there will be good eating.
slag (in an undertone to Ulf)
But you do not know my master. Now that you
have suggested that we shall go as lords, he will
make a better suggestion. He will suggest that
we should go as kings.
ULF
Beggars as kings!
SLAG
Ay. You do not know my master.
ulf (to Agmar)
What do you bid us do?
AGMAB
You shall first come by the fine raiment in the
manner I have mentioned.
ULF
And what then, master?
AGMAB
Why, then we shall go as gods.
BEGGABS
As gods!
AGMAB
As gods. Know you the land through which I have
lately come in my wanderings? Marma, where the
act i] GODS OP THE MOUNTAIN 9
gods are carved from green stone in the mountains.
They sit all seven of them against the hills. They
sit there motionless and travellers worship them.
ULT
Yes, yes, we know those gods. They are much
reverenced here, but they are drowsy and send us
nothing beautiful.
AGMAB
They are of green jade. They sit cross-legged with
their right elbows resting on their left hands, the
right forefinger pointing upward. We will come
into the city disguised, from the direction of Mar-
ma, and will claim to be these gods. We must be
seven as they are. And when we sit we must sit
cross-legged as they do, with the right hand up-
lifted.
ULT
This is a bad city in which to fall into the hands
of oppressors, for the judges lack amiability here
as the merchants lack benevolence, ever since the
- gods forgot them.
AGMAB
In our ancient calling a man may sit at one street
corner for fifty years doing the one thing, and yet
a day may come when it is well for him to rise up
and do another thing while the timorous man starves.
UUP
Also it were well not to anger the gods.
AGMAB
Is not all life a beggary to the gods? Do they not
see all men always begging of them and asking
alms with incense, and bells, and subtle devices?
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10
GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN [act i
OOGNO
Yes, all men indeed are beggars before the gods.
AGMAB
Does not the mighty Soldan often sit by the agate
altar in his royal temple as we sit at a street corner
or by a palace gate?
TJXF
It is even so.
AGMAE
Then will the gods be glad when we follow the holy
calling with new devices and with subtlety, as they
are glad when the priests sing a new song.
TJXF
Yet I have a fear.
[Enter two men talking.
AGMAE (to Slag)
Go you into the city before us and let there be a
prophecy there which saith that the gods who are
carven from green rock in the mountain shall one
day arise in Marma and come here in the guise
of men.
SLAG
Yes, master. Shall I make the prophecy myself?
Or shall it be found in some old document?
AGMAE
Let someone have seen it once in some rare docu-
ment. Let it be spoken of in the market place.
SLAG
It shall be spoken of, master.
[Slag lingers. Enter Thief and Thahn.
OOGNO
This is our thief.
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act i] GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN 11
agmab (encouragingly)
Ah, he is a quick thief.
THIEF
I could only procure you three green raiments,
master. The city is not now well supplied with
them; moreover, it is a very suspicious city and
without shame for the baseness of its suspicions.
slag (to a beggar)
This is not thieving.
thief
I could do no more, master. I have not practised
thieving all my life.
AGMAB,
You have got something: it may serve our purpose.
How long have you been thieving?
THIEF
I stole first when I was ten.
slag (in horror)
When he was ten!
AGMAB
We must tear them up and divide them amongst
the seven. (To Thahn) Bring me another beggar.
SLAG
When my master was ten he had already to slip
by night out of two cities.
oogno (admiringly)
Out of two cities?
slag (nodding his head)
In his native city they do not now know what
became of the golden cup that stood in the Lunar
Temple.
AGMAB
Yes, into seven pieces.
12 GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN [act i
ULP
We will each wear a piece of it over our rags.
OOGNO
Yes, yes, we shall look fine.
AGMAB
That is not the way that we shall disguise ourselves.
OOGNO
Not cover our rags?
AGMAB.
No, no. The first who looked closely would say,
" These are only beggars. They have disguised
themselves."
What shall we do?
AGMAB
Each of the seven shall wear a piece of the green
raiment underneath his rags. And peradventure
here and there a little shall show through; and
men shall say, " These seven have disguised them-
selves as beggars. But we know not what they be."
SLAG
Hear my wise master.
oogno (in admiration)
He is a beggar.
XTLF
He is an old beggar.
ULF
CUBTAIN
THE SECOND ACT
The Metropolitan Hall of the city of Kongros*
Citizens, etc.
Enter the seven beggars with green silk wnder their
rags.
OOBANDEB
Who are you and whence come you?
AOMAB
Who may say what we are or whence we come?
OOBANBEB
What are these beggars and why do they come here?
AOMAB
Who said to you that we were beggars?
OOBANDEB
Why do these men come here?
AOMAB
Who said to you that we were men?
ILLAKAUN
Now, by the moon !
AOMAB
My sister.
ILLANATTN
What?
AOMAB
My little sister.
SLAG
Our little sister the moon. She comes to us at
evenings away in the mountains of Manna. She
14 GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN [act n
trips over the mountains when she is young. When
she is young and slender she comes and dances be-
fore us, and when she is old and unshapely she
hobbles away from the hills.
AGMAB
Yet is she young again and forever nimble with
youth; yet she comes dancing back. The years
are not able to curb her nor to bring gray hairs
to her brethren.
OOBANDER
This is not wonted.
ILIiANAUN
It is not in accordance with custom.
axmos
Prophecy hath not thought it.
SLAG
She comes to us new and nimble, remembering olden
loves.
OOBANDER
It were well that prophets should come and speak
to us.
ILLANAUN
This hath not been in the past. Let prophets
come. Let prophets speak to us of future things.
[The beggar 8 seat themselves upon the floor in the
attitude of the seven gods of Marma.
citizen
I heard men speak to-day in the market place.
They speak of a prophecy read somewhere of old.
It says the seven gods shall come from Marma in
the guise of men.
IXLANATJN
Is this a true prophecy?
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act h] GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN 15
OOEANDEE
It is all the prophecy we have. Man without
prophecy is like a sailor going by night over un-
charted seas. He knows not where are the rocks
nor where the havens. To the man on watch all
things ahead are black and the stars guide him not,
for he knows not what they are.
ILLANAUN
Should we not investigate this prophecy?
OOEANDEE
Let us accept it. It is as the small, uncertain light
of a lantern, carried it may be by a drunkard, but
along the shore of some haven. Let us be guided.
AKMOS
It may be that they are but benevolent gods.
AGMAE
There is no benevolence greater than our benevo-
lence.
ILLANATTN
Then we need do little: they portend no danger
to us.
AOMAE
There is no anger greater than our anger.
OOEANDEE
Let us make sacrifice to them if they be gods.
AKMOS
We humbly worship you, if ye be gods.
illanaun (kneeling too)
You are mightier than all men and hold high rank
among other gods and are lords of this our city,
and have the thunder as your plaything and the
whirlwind and the eclipse and all the destinies of
human tribes — if ye be gods.
16 GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN [act n
AGMAB
Let the pestilence not fall at once upon this city,
as it had indeed designed to ; let not the earthquake
swallow it all immediately up amid the howls of
the thunder; let not infuriated armies overwhelm
those that escape — if we be gods —
populace (in horror)
If we be gods!
OOKANBEK
Come, let us sacrifice,
JLLANAUN
Bring lambs.
AKMOS
Quick! Quick! {Exeunt some)
slag (with solemn air)
This god is a very divine god,
THAHN
He is no common god.
MLAK
Indeed he has made us.
citizen (to Slag)
He will not punish us, master? None of the gods
will punish us? We will make a sacrifice, a good
sacrifice.
ANOTHER
We will sacrifice a lamb that the priests have
blessed.
FIRST CITIZEN
Master, you are not wroth with us?
SLAG
Who may say what cloudy dooms are rolling up
in the mind of the eldest of the gods? He is no
common god like us. Once a shepherd went by him
act n] GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN 17
in the mountains and doubted as he went. He sent
a doom after that shepherd.
CITIZEN
Master, we have not doubted.
SLAG
And the doom found him on the hills at evening.
SECOND CITIZEN
It shall be a good sacrifice, master.
{Reenter with a dead lamb and fruits. They offer
the lamb on an altar where there is fire, and fruits
before the altar.
thahn (stretching out a hand to a lamb upon an
altar) That leg is not being cooked at all.
HjLanaun
It is strange that gods should be thus anxious about
the cooking of a leg of lamb.
OOBANBER
It is strange certainly.
HjLanaun
Almost I had said that it was a man spoke then.
oorandeb (stroking his beard and regarding the second
beggar) Strange. Strange, certainly.
AGMAB
Is it then strange that the gods love roasted flesh?
For this purpose they keep the lightning. When
the lightning flickers about the limbs of men there
comes to the gods in Marma a pleasant smell, even
a smell of roasting. Sometimes the gods, being
pacific, are pleased to have roasted instead the flesh
of lamb. It is all one to the gods; let the roasting
stop.
ooeandee
No, no, gods of the mountains!
18 GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN [act n
OTHERS
No, no.
OOEANDEE
Quick, let us offer the flesh to them. If they eat,
all is well.
{They offer it; the beggars eat, all but Agmar,
who watches.
1I/LANAUN
One who was ignorant, one who did not know, had
almost said that they ate like hungry men.
OTHEJIS
AKMOS
Yet they look as though they had not had a meal
like this for a long time.
OOEANDEE
They have a hungry look.
agmae (who has not eaten)
I have not eaten since the world was very new and
the flesh of men was tenderer than now. These
younger gods have learned the habit of eating from
the lions.
OOEANDEE
O oldest of divinities, partake, partake.
AGMAE
It is not fitting that such as I should eat. None
eat but beasts and men and the younger gods. The
sun and the moon and the nimble lightning and I —
we may kill and we may madden, but we do not
AKMOS
If he but eat of our offering he cannot overwhelm us.
Hush!
eat.
act n] GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN 19
ALL
Oh, ancient deity, partake, partake.
AOMAB
Enough. Let it be enough that these have con-
descended to this bestial and human habit.
ILLANAUN ( tO Akmos)
And yet he is not unlike a beggar whom I saw nc
so long since.
OOEANDEE
But beggars eat.
ILLANAUN
Now I never knew a beggar yet who would refuse
a bowl of Woldery wine.
AKMOS
This is no beggar.
ILLANAUN
Nevertheless let us offer him a bowl of Woldery
wine.
ILLANAUN
I do but wish to prove his divinity. I will fetch
the Woldery wine. (Exit)
AKMOS
He will not drink. Yet if he does, then he will not
overwhelm us. Let us offer him the wine.
[Reenter Illanaun mth a goblet.
FIRST BEGGAE
It is Woldery wine!
SECOND BEGGAE
It is Woldery!
THIRD BEGGAE
A goblet of Woldery wine!
AKMOS
You do wrong to doubt him.
20 GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN [act n
FOURTH BEGOAE
O blessed day!
MIAN
O happy times!
SLAG
my wise master!
[Illcmaun takes the goblet* All the beggars stretch
out their hands including Agmar. Illanaun gives
it to Agmar. Agmar takes it solemnly, and very
carefully pours it upon the ground.
FIRST BEGGAR
He has* spilt it.
SECOND BEGGAR
He has spilt it. (Agmar sniffs the fumes, loquitur)
AGMAR
It is a fitting libation. Our anger is somewhat
appeased.
ANOTHER BEGGAR
But it was Woldery!
akmos (kneeling to Agmar)
Master, I am childless, and I —
AGMAR
Trouble us not now. It is the hour at which the
gods are accustomed to speak to the gods in the
language of the gods, and if Man heard us he would
guess the futility of his destiny, which were not
well for Man. Begone! Begone!
one lingers (loquitur)
Master —
AGMAR
Begone !
[Exeunt. Agmar takes up a piece of meat and
Digitized by
act n] GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN 21
begins to eat it; the beggars rise and stretch them-
selves: they laugh, but Agmar eats hungrily*
OOGNO
THAHN
Now we have alms.
SLAG
Master! My wise master!
ULP
These are the good days, the good days; and yet
I have a fear.
BLAG
What do you fear? There is nothing to fear. No
man is as wise as my master.
ULP
I fear the gods whom we pretend to be.
The gods?
agmar (taking a chunk of meat from his lips)
Come hither, Slag.
blag (going up to him)
Yes, master.
agmar
Watch in the doorway while I eat. (Slag goes to
the doorway) Sit in the attitude of a god. Warn
me if any of the citizens approach.
[Slag sits in the doorway in the attitude of a god,
back to the audience.
oogno (to Agmar)
But, master, shall we not have Woldery wine?
AGMAE
We shall have all things if only we are wise at first
for a little.
Ah! Now we have come into our own.
SLAG
22 GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN [act n
THAHN
Master, do any suspect us?
AGMAR
We must be very wise.
THAHN
But if we are not wise, master?
AGMAR ,
Why, then death may come to us —
THAHN
master!
AGMAR
— slowly.
[All stir uneasily except Slag, who sits motionless
in the doorway.
OOONO
Do they believe us, master?
slag (half turning his head)
Someone comes.
[Slag resumes his position.
agmar (putting away his meat)
We shall soon know now.
[All take up the attitude. Enter One, loquitur.
ONE
Master, I want the god that does not eat.
AGMAR
1 am he.
ONE
Master, my child was bitten in the throat by a
death-adder at noon. Spare him, master; he still
breathes, but slowly.
AGMAR
Is he indeed your child?
act n] GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN 23
ONE
He is surely my child, master,
AGMAR
Was it your wont to thwart him in his play, while
I never thwarted him, master.
AGMAR
Whose child is Death?
ONE
Death is the child of the gods.
AGMAR
Do you that never thwarted your child in his play
ask this of the gods?
one (with some horror, perceiving Agmar's meaning)
Master !
AGMAR
Weep not. For all the houses that men have builded
are the play-fields of this child of the gods.
[The Mm goes away in silence, not weeping.
oogno (taking Thahn by the wrist)
Is this indeed a man?
AGMAR
A man, a man, and until just now a hungry one.
he was strong and well?
one
CURTAIN
THE THIRD ACT
Same room.
A few days have elapsed.
Seven throws shaped like mountain-crags stand
along the back of the stage. On these the beggars
are lowngmg. The Thief is absent.
MLAN
Never had beggars such a time.
OOGNO
Ah, the fruits and tender lamb!
THAHN
The Woldery wine!
SLAG
It was better to see my master's wise devices than
to have fruit and lamb and Woldery wine.
MLAN
Ah! When they spied on him to see if he would
eat when they went away!
OOGNO
When they questioned him concerning the gods and
Man!
THAHN
When they asked him why the gods permitted
cancer !
SLAG
Ah, my wise master!
MLAN
How well his scheme has succeeded!
Digitized by
act m] GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN 25
OOGNO
How far away is hunger!
THAHN
It is even like to one of last year's dreams, the
trouble of a brief night long ago.
oogno (laughing)
Ho, ho, ho! To see them pray to us.
AGMAB,
When we were beggars did we not speak as beggars?
Did we not whine as they? Was not our mien
beggarly?
OOGNO
We were the pride of our calling.
AGMAB.
Then now that we are gods, let us be as gods, and
not mock our worshippers.
TTLF
I think that the gods do mock their worshippers.
AGMAJL
The gods have never mocked us. We are above all
pinnacles that we have ever gazed at in dreams.
TTLF
I think that when man is high then most of all are
the gods wont to mock him.
thief (entering)
Master! I have been with those that know all and
see all. I have been with the thieves, master. They
know me for one of the craft, but they do not know
me as being one of us.
AGMAJL
Well, well!
THIEF
There is danger, master, there is great danger.
Digitized by
26 GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN [act ra
AOMAB
You mean that they suspect that we are men.
THIEF
That they have long done, master. I mean that
they will know it. Then we are lost.
AOMAB
Then they do not know it.
THIEF
They do not know it yet, but they will know it,
and we are lost.
AOMAB.
When will they know it?
THIEF
Three days ago they suspected us.
AOMAB
More than you think suspected us, but have any
dared to say so?
THIEF
No, master.
AOMAB
Then forget your fears, my thief.
THIEF
Two men went on dromedaries three days ago to see
if the gods were still at Marma.
AOMAB
They went to Marma!
THIJSF
Yes, three days ago.
OOONO
We are lost!
AOMAB
They went three days ago?
act m] GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN
27
THIEF
Yes, on dromedaries.
AGMAE
They should be T>ack to-day.
OOONO
We are lost!
THAHN
We are lost!
THIEF
They must have seen the green jade idols sitting
against the mountains. They will say, " The gods
are still at Marma." And we shall be burnt.
SLAG
My master will yet devise a plan.
agmab (to the Thief)
Slip away to some high place and look toward the
desert and see how long we have to devise a plan.
SLAG
My master will find a plan.
OOGNO
He has taken us into a trap.
THAHN
His wisdom is our doom.
SLAG
He will find a wise plan yet.
thief (reentering)
It is too late!
AGMAR
It is too late!
THIEF
The dromedary men \re here.
OOGNO
We are lost!
28
GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN [act m
AOMAB
Be silent! I must think.
[They all sit still. Citizens enter and prostrate
themselves. Agmar sits deep in thought.
illanaun (to Agmar)
Two holy pilgrims have gone to your sacred shrines,
wherein you were wont to sit before you left the
mountains. (Agmar says nothing) They return
even now.
AOMAB
They left us here and went to find the gods? A
fish once took a journey into a far country to find
the sea.
IULANAUN
Most reverend deity, their piety is so great that
they have gone to worship even your shrines.
I know these men that have great piety. Such men
have often prayed to me before, but their prayers
are not acceptable. They little love the gods ; their
only care is their piety. I know these pious ones.
They will say that the seven gods were still at
Marma. They will lie and say that we were still
at Marma. So shall they seem more pious to you
all, pretending that they alone have seen the gods.
Fools shall believe them and share in their dam-
nation.
ooeandee (to Illanaun)
Hush! You anger the gods.
ILLANAUN
I am not sure whom I anger.
OOEANDEE
It may be they are the gods.
AGMAR
act m] GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN 29
ILLANAUN
Where are these men from Manna?
CITIZEN
Here are the dromedary men ; they are coming now.
illanaun (to Agmar)
The holy pilgrims from your shrine are come to
worship you,
AGMAB.
The men are doubters. How the gods hate the
word! Doubt ever contaminated virtue. Let them
be cast into prison and not besmirch your purity.
(Rising) Let them not enter here.
ILLANAUN
But oh, most reverend deity from the Mountain,
we also doubt, most reverend deity.
AGMAB,
You have chosen. You have chosen. And yet it
is not too late. Repent and cast these men in prison
and it may not be too late. The gods have never
wept. And yet when they think upon damnation
and the dooms that are withering a myriad bones,
then almost, were they not divine, they could weep.
Be quick! Repent of your doubt.
{Enter the Dromedary Men.
ILLANAUN
Most reverend deity, it is a mighty doubt.
citizens
Nothing has hilled him! They are not the gods!
slag (to Agmar)
You have a plan, my master. You have a plan.
AGMAR
Not yet, Slag.
80 GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN [act in
illanaun (to Oorander)
These are the men that went to the shrines at
Marma.
oorander (in a loud, clear voice)
Were the Gods of the Mountain seated still at
Marma, or were they not there?
[The beggars get up hurriedly from their thrones.
DROMEDARY MAN
They were not there.
ILLANAUN
They were not there?
DROMEDARY MAN
Their shrines were empty.
OORANDER
Behold the Gods of the Mountain!
AKMOS
They have indeed come from Marma.
OORANDER
Come. Let us go away to prepare a sacrifice. A
mighty sacrifice to atone for our doubting. (Ex-
ewnt)
SLAG
My most wise master!
AGMAR
No, no, Slag. I do not know what has befallen.
When I went by Marma only two weeks ago the
idols of green jade were still seated there.
OOONO
We are saved now.
THAHN
Ay, we are saved.
AOMAR
We are saved, but I know not how.
act m] GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN 81
OOGNO
Never had beggars such a time.
THIEF
I will go out and watch. (He creeps out)
ULF
Yet I have a fear.
OOGNO
A fear? Why, we are saved.
ULF
Last night I dreamed.
OOONO
What was your dream?
XJLF
It was nothing. I dreamed that I was thirsty and
one gave me Woldery wine; yet there was a fear
in my dream.
THAHN
When I drink Woldery wine I am afraid of nothing.
thief (reentering)
They are making a pleasant banquet ready for us;
they are killing lambs, and girls are there with
fruits, and there is to be much Woldery wine.
MLAN
Never had beggars such a time.
AGMA&
Do any doubt us now?
THIEF
I do not know.
MLAN
When will the banquet be?
THIEF
When the stars come out.
82 GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN [act in
OOONO
Ah! It is sunset already. There will be good
eating.
THAHN
We shall see the girls come in with baskets upon
their heads.
OOONO
There will be fruits in the baskets.
THAHN
All the fruits of the valley.
MLAN
Oh, how long we have wandered along the ways of
the world!
SLAG
Oh, how hard they were!
THAHN
And how dusty!
OOONO
And how little wine!
MLAN
How long we have asked and asked, and for how
much!
AGMA&
We to whom all things are coming now at last!
THIEF
I fear lest my art forsake me now that good things
come without stealing.
AOMAB
You will need your art no longer.
SLAG
The wisdom of my master shall suffice us all our
days.
act m] GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN 88
[Enter a frightened Man. He kneels before Agmar
and abases his forehead.
MAN
Master, we implore you, the people beseech you.
[Agmar and the beggars in the attitude of the gods
sit silent.
MAN
Master, it is terrible* (The beggars maintain si-
lence) It is terrible when you wander in the even-
ing. It is terrible on the edge of the desert in the
evening. Children die when they see you.
AGMAB
In the desert? When did you see us?
MAN
Last night, master. You were terrible last night.
You were terrible in the gloaming. When your
hands were stretched out and groping. You were
feeling for the city.
AGMAR
Last night do you say?
MAN
You Iwere terrible in the gloaming!
AGMAB
You yourself saw us?
MAN
Yes, master, you were terrible. Children too saw
you and they died.
AGMAB.
You say you saw us?
MAN
Yes, master. Not as you are now, but otherwise.
We implore you, master, not to wander at evening.
You are terrible in the gloaming. You are —
1
84 GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN [act ra
AOMAB
You say we appeared not as we are now. How
did we appear to you?
MAN
Otherwise, master, otherwise.
AGMAB
But how did we appear to you?
MAN
You were all green, master, all green in the gloam-
ing, all of rock again as you used to be in the moun-
tains. Master, we can bear to see you in flesh like
men, but when we see rock walking it is terrible, it
is terrible.
AOMAB
That is how we appeared to you?
MAN
Yes, master. Rock should not walk. When chil-
dren see it they do not understand. Rock should
not walk in the evening.
AOMAB
There have been doubters of late. Are they sat-
isfied?
MAN
Master, they are terrified. Spare us, master.
A6MAB
It is wrong to doubt. 60 and be faithful.
[Exit Man.
SLAG
What have they seen, master?
AOMAB
They have seen their own fears dancing in the desert.
[They have seen something green after the light was
Digitized by
act m] GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN 85
gone, and some child has told them a tale that it
was us. I do not know what they have seen. What
should they have seen?
TJLF
Something was coming this way from the desert,
he said.
SLAG
What should come from the desert?
AGMAR
They are a foolish people.
TTLF
That man's white face has seen some frightful thing.
A frightful thing?
TTLF
That man's face has been near to some frightful
thing.
AGMAE
It is only we that have frightened them and their
fears have made them foolish.
[Enter an Attendant with a torch or lantern which
he places in a receptacle. Exit.
THAHN
Now we shall see the faces of the girls when they
come to the banquet.
HLAN*
Never had beggars such a time.
AGMAR
Hark! They are coming. I hear footsteps.
THAHN
The dancing girls ! They are coming!
SLAG
86 GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN [act m
THIEF
There is no sound of flutes, they said tjiey would
come with music.
006N0
What heavy boots they have; they sound like feet
of stone.
THAHN
I do not like to hear their heavy tread. Those that
would dance to us must be light of foot.
AGMAR
I shall not smile at them if they are not airy.
HLAN
They are coming very slowly. They should come
nimbly to us.
THAHN
They should dance as they come. But the footfall is
like the footfall of heavy crabs.
ulf (ma loud voice, almost chanting)
I have a fear, an old fear and a boding. We have
done ill in the sight of the seven gods. Beggars we
were and beggars we should have remained. We
have given up our calling and come in sight of our
doom. I will no longer let my fear be silent; it
shall run about an* cry; it shall go from me crying,
like a dog from out of a doomed city; for my fear
has seen calamity and has known an evil thing.
slag (hoarsely)
Master !
agmab (rising)
Come, come!
[They listen. No one speaks. The stony boots
come on. Enter in single fUe through door in right
of back, a procession of seven green men, even hands
act m] GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN 87
and "faces are green; they wear greenstone sandals;
they walk with knees extremely wide apart, as hav-
ing sat cross-legged for centuries; their right arms
and right forefingers point upward, right elbows
resting on left hands; they stoop grotesquely.
Halfway to the footlights they left wheel. They
pass in front of the seven beggars, now in terrified
attitudes, and six of them sit down in the attitude
described, with their backs to the audience. The
leader stands, still stooping.
oogno {cries out just as they wheel left)
The Gods of the Mountain !
agmar {hoarsely)
Be still ! They are dazzled by the light. They may
not see us.
[The leading Green Thing points his forefinger at
the lantern — the flame turns green. When the six
are seated the leader points one by one at each of
the seven beggars, shooting out his forefinger at
them. As he does this each beggar in his turn
gathers himself back on to his throne and crosses
his legs, his right arm goes stiffly upward with fore-
finger erect, and a staring look of horror comes into
his eyes. In this attitude the beggars sit motion-
less while a green light falls upon their faces. The
gods go out.
Presently enter the Citizens, some with victuals and,
fruit. One touches a beggar's arm and then another's.
CITIZEN
They are cold; they have turned to stone,
[All abase themselves, foreheads to the floor*
We have doubted them. We have doubted them.
ONE
88 GODS OF THE MOUNTAIN [act m
They have turned to stone because we have doubted
them.
ANOTHEB
They were the true gods.
ALL
They were the true gods.
CUBTAIN
THE GOLDEN DOOM
Digitized by Google
PERSONS
The King
Chamberlain
Chief Prophet
Girl
Boy
Spies
First Prophet
Second Prophet
First Sentry
Second Sentry
Stranger
Attendants
Scene: Outside the King's great door in Z eric on.
Time: Some while before the fall of Babylon.
Digitized by
THE GOLDEN DOOM
Two Sentries pace to and fro, then halt, one on each
tide of the great door.
FIRST SENTRY
The day is deadly sultry.
SECOND SENTRY
I would that I were swimming down the Gyshon, on
the cool side, under the fruit trees.
FIRST SENTRY
It is like to thunder or the fall of a dynasty.
SECOND SENTRY
It will grow cool by night-fall. Where is the King?
FIRST SENTRY
He rows in his golden barge with ambassadors or
whispers with captains concerning future wars. The
stars spare him!
SECOND SENTRY
Why do you say " the stars spare him *?
FIRST SENTRY
Because if a doom from the stars fall suddenly on
a king it swallows up his people and all things
round about him, and his palace falls and the walls
of his city and citadel, and the apes come in from
the woods and the large beasts from the, desert, so
that you would not say that a king had been there
at all.
42
THE GOLDEN DOOM
SECOND SENTET
But why should a doom from the stars fall on the
King?
FIEST SENTEY
Because he seldom placates them.
SECOND SENTEY
Ah! I have heard that said of him.
FIEST SENTEY
Who are the stars that a man should scorn them?
Should they that rule the thunder, the plague and
the earthquake withhold these things save for much
prayer? Always ambassadors are with the King,
and his commanders, come in from distant lands,
prefects of cities and makers of the laws, but never
the priests of the stars.
SECOND SENTEY
Hark! Was that thunder?
FIEST SENTEY
Believe me, the stars are angry.
[Enter a Stranger. He wanders toward the King 9 9
door, gazing about him.
SENTEifes (lifting their spears at him)
Go back! Go back!
STEANGEE
Why?
FIEST SENTEY
It is death to touch the King's door.
STEANGEE
I am a stranger from Thessaly.
FIEST SENTEY
It is death even for a stranger.
STEANGEE
Your door is strangely sacred.
THE GOLDEN DOOM
43
FIRST SENTRY
It is death to touch it.
[The Stranger wanders off.
[Enter two children hand in hand.
boy {to the Sentry)
I want to see the King to pray for a hoop.
[The Sentry smiles.
boy {pushes the door; to girl)
I cannot open it. {To the Sentry) Will it do as
well if I pray to the King's door?
SENTEY
Yes, quite as well. {Turns to talk to the other
Sentry) Is there anyone in sight?
second sentey {shading his eyes)
Nothing but a dog, and he far out on the plain.
FIRST SENTEY
Then we can talk awhile and eat bash.
BOY
King's door, I want a little hoop.
[The Sentries take a little bash between finger and
thumb from pouches and put that wholly forgotten
drug to their lips.
girl {pointing)
My father is a taller soldier than that.
BOY
My father can write. He taught me.
GIRL
Ho! Writing frightens nobody. My father is a
soldier.
BOY
I have a lump of gold. I found it in the stream
that runs down to Gyshon.
44
THE GOLDEN DOOM
GIRL
I have a poem. I found it in my own head*
BOY
Is it a long poem?
GIRL
No. But it would have been only there were no more
rhymes for sky.
BOY
What is your poem?
BOY
I saw it die.
GIRL
That does n't scan.
BOY
Oh, that does n't matter.
GIRL
Do you like my poem?
BOY
Birds are n't purple.
GIRL
My bird was.
BOY
GIRL
Oh, you don't like my poem!
BOY
GIRL
I saw a purple bird
Go up against the sky
And it went up and up
And round about did fly.
Oh!
Yes, I do.
THE GOLDEN DOOM
45
GIRL
No, you don't; ' you think it horrid*
BOY
No. I don't.
GIRL
Yes, you do. Why didn't you say you liked it?
It is the only poem I ever made.
BOY
I do like it. I do like it.
GIRL
You don't, you don't!
BOY
Don't be angry. 1 11 write it on the door for you.
GIEL
You'U write it? '
BOY
Yes, I can write it. My father taught me. I'll
write it with my lump of gold. It makes a yellow
mark on the iron door.
GIEL
Oh, do write it! I would like to see it written like
real poetry.
[The Boy begins to write. The Girl watches*
FIRST SENTRY
You see, we '11 be fighting again soon.
SECOND SENTRY
Only a little war. We never have more than a little
war with the hill-folk.
FIRST SENTRY
When a man goes to fight, the curtains of the gods
wax thicker than ever before between his eyes and the
future; he may go to a great or to a little war.
46 THE GOLDEN DOOM
SECOND SENTRY
There can only be a little war with the hill-folk.
FIRST SENTEY
Yet sometimes the gods laugh.
SECOND SENTRY
At whom?
FIRST SENTRY
At kings.
SECOND SENTRY
Why have you grown uneasy about this war in the
hills?
FIRST SENTRY
Because the King is powerful beyond any of his
fathers, and has more fighting men, more horses,
and wealth that could have ransomed his father and
his grandfather and dowered their queens and daugh-
ters; and every year his miners bring him more
from the opal-mines and from the turquoise-quarries.
He has grown very mighty.
SECOND 8ENTRY
Then he will the more easily crush the hill-folk in
a little war.
FIRST SENTRY
When kings grow very mighty the stars grow very
jealous.
BOY
I 've written your poem.
GIRL
Oh, have you really?
BOY
Yes, I '11 read it to you. (He reads)
I saw a purple bird
Go up against the sky
Digitized by
THE GOLDEN DOOM
47
And it went up and up
And round about did fly.
I saw it die.
GIRL
It does n't scan.
BOY
That does n't matter.
[Enter furtively a Spy, who crosses stage and goes
out. The Sentries cease to talk.
GIRL
That man frightens me.
BOY
He is only one of the King's spies.
GIRL
But I don't like the King's spies. They frighten
me.
BOY
Come on, then, we '11 run away.
sentey (noticing the children again)
Go away, go away! The King is coming, he will
eat you.
[The Boy throws a stone at the Sentry and rwns
out. Enter another Spy, who crosses the stage.
Enter third Spy, who notices the door. He exam-
ines it and utters an owl-like whistle. No. # comes
back. They do not speak. Both whistle. No. 3
comes. AU examine the door. Enter the King and
his Chamberlain. The King wears a purple robe.
The Sentries smartly transfer their spears to their
left hands and return their right arms to their right
sides. They then lower their spears until their points
are within an inch of the grownd, at the same time
raising their right hands above their heads. They
48 THE GOLDEN DOOM
stcund for some moments thus. Then they lower their
right arms to their right sides, at the same time rais-
ing their spears. In the next motion thetf take their
spears into their right hands and lower the butts
to the floor, where they were before, the spears slant-
ing forward a little. Both Sentries must move to-
gether precisely.
first spy (runs forward to the King and kneels, abas-
ing his forehead to the floor) Something has writ-
ten on the iron door*
CHAMBERLAIN
On the iron door!
KING
Some fool has done it. Who has been here since
yesterday?
first sentry (shift s his hand a little higher on his
spear, brings the spear to his side and closes his heels
all in one motion; he then takes one pace backward
with his right foot; then he kneels on his right knee;
when he has done this he speaks, but not before)
Nobody, Majesty, but a stranger from Thessaly.
XING
Did he touch the iron door?
FIBST SENTRY
No, Majesty; he tried to, but we drove him away.
XING
How near did he come?
FIRST SENTRY
Nearly to our spears, Majesty.
XING
What was his motive in seeking to touch the iron
door?
THE GOLDEN DOOM
49
FIRST SENTEY
I do not know, Majesty.
KING
Which way did he go?
first sentet (pointing left)
That way, Majesty, an hour ago.
[The King whispers with one of his Spies, who stoops
and examines the grownd and steals away. The
Sentry rises.
king (to his two remaining Spies)
What does this writing say?
A SPY
We cannot read, Majesty.
KING
A good spy should know everything.
SECOND SPY
We watch, Majesty, and we search out, Majesty.
We read shadows, and we read footprints, and whis-
pers in secret places. But we do not read writing.
king (to the Chamberlain)
See what it is.
chamberlain (goes up and reads)
It is treason, Majesty.
KING
Read it.
CHAMBEELAIN
I saw a purple bird
Go up against the sky,
And it went up and up
And round about did fly.
I saw it die.
first sentey (aside)
The stars have spoken.
50
THE GOLDEN DOOM
kino (to the Sentry)
Has anyone been here but the stranger from Thes-
saly?
sentry (kneeling as before)
Nobody, Majesty.
JONG
You saw nothing?
FIEST SENTRY
Nothing but a dog far out upon the plain and the
children of the guard at play.
king (to the Second Sentry)
And you?
second sentey (kneeling)
Nothing, Majesty.
CHAMBERLAIN
That is strange.
ilNG
It is some secret warning.
CHAMBERLAIN
It is treason.
KING
It is from the stars.
CHAMBERLAIN
No, no, Majesty. Not from the stars, not from the
stars. Some man has done it. Yet the thing should
be interpreted. Shall I send for the prophets of the
stars?
[The King beckons to his Spies. They rwn up to
him.
KING
Find me some prophet of the stars. (Exeunt Spies)
I fear that we may go no more, my chamberlain,
along the winding ways of unequalled Zericon, nor
THE GOLDEN DOOM
51
play dahoori with the golden balls. I have thought
more of my people than of the stars and more of
Zericon than of windy Heaven.
CHAMBERLAIN
Believe me, Majesty, some idle man has written it
and passed by. Your spies shall find him, and then
his name will be soon forgotten.
Yes, yes. Perhaps you are right, though the sen-
tries saw no one. No doubt some beggar did it.
CHAMBERLAIN
Yes, Majesty, some beggar has surely done it. But
look, here come two prophets of the stars. They
shall tell us that this is idle.
[Enter two Prophets and a Boy attending them.
All bow deeply to the King. The two Spies steal in
ogam and stand at back.
Some beggar has written a rhyme on the iron gate,
and as the ways of rhyme are known to you I de-
sired you, rather as poets than as prophets, to say
whether there was any meaning in it.
CHAMBERLAIN
'T is but an idle rhyme.
first prophet (bows again and goes up to door. He
glomes at the writing) Come hither, servant of
those that serve the stars.
[Attendant approaches.
FIRST PROPHET
Bring hither our golden cloaks, for this may be a
matter for rejoicing; and bring our green cloaks
also, for this may tell of young new beautiful things
KING
KING
52 THE GOLDEN DOOM
with which the stars will one day gladden the King;
and bring our black cloaks also, for it may be a
doom. (Exit the Boy; the Prophet goes up to the
door and reads solemnly) The stars have spoken,
[Reenter Attendant xvith cloaks.
I tell you that some beggar has written this.
FIRST PEOPHET
It is written in pure gold. (He dons the black cloak
over body and head)
XING
What do the stars mean? What warning is it?
FIRST PROPHET
I cannot say.
king (to Second Prophet)
Come you then and tell us what the warning is.
second prophet (goes up to the door and reads)
The stars have spoken. (He cloaks himself in black)
KING
What is it? What does it mean?
second prophet
We do not know, but it is from the stars.
CHAMBERLAIN
It is a harmless thing; there is no harm in it, Maj-
esty. Why should not birds die?
KING
Why have the prophets covered themselves in black?
CHAMBERLAIN
They are a secret people and look for inner mean-
ings. There is no harm in it.
KING
They have covered themselves in black.
KING
THE GOLDEN DOOM 53
CHAMBERLAIN
They have not spoken of any evil thing. They have
not spoken of it.
KINO
If the people see the prophets covered in black they
will say that the stars are against me and believe
that my luck has turned.
CHAMBERLAIN
The people must not know.
KING
Some prophet must interpret to us the doom. Let
the chief prophet of the stars be sent for.
chamberlain (going toward left exit)
Summon the chief prophet of the stars that look
on Zericon.
VOICES OFF
The chief prophet of the stars. The chief prophet
of the stars.
CHAMBERLAIN
I have summoned the chief prophet, Majesty.
KINO
If he interpret this aright I will put a necklace of
turquoises round his neck with opals from the mines.
CHAMBERLAIN
He will not fail. He is a very cunning interpreter.
KINO
What if he covers himself with a huge black cloak
and does not speak and goes muttering away, slowly
with bended head, till our fear spreads to the sen-
tries and they cry aloud?
CHAMBERLAIN
This is no doom from the stars, but some idle scribe
Digitized by
54 THE GOLDEN DOOM
hath written it in his insolence upon the iron door,
wasting his hoard of gold*
KINO
Not for myself I have a fear of doom, not for my-
self; but I inherited a rocky land, windy and ill-
nurtured, and nursed it to prosperity by years of
peace and spread its boundaries by years of war.
I have brought up harvests out of barren acres and
given good laws unto naughty towns, and my people
are happy, and lo, the stars are angry!
CHAMBERLAIN
It is not the stars, it is not the stars, Majesty, for
the prophets of the stars have not interpreted it.
Indeed, it was only some reveller wasting his gold.
[Meanwhile enter Chief Prophet of the stars that
look on Zericon.
XING
Chief Prophet of the Stars that look on Zericon,
I would have you interpret the rhyme upon yonder
door.
chief prophet (goes up to the door and reads)
It is from the stars.
KING
Interpret it and you shall have great turquoises
round your neck, with opals from the mines in the
frozen mountains.
chief prophet (cloaks himself like the others in a
great black cloak) Who should wear purple in the
land but a King, or who go up against the sky but
he who has troubled the stars by neglecting their
ancient worship? Such a one has gone up and up
increasing power and wealth, such a one has soared
above the crowns of those that went before him,
Digitized by
THE GOLDEN DOOM 55
such a one the stars have doomed, the undying ones,
the illustrious. [A pause.
KING
Who wrote it?
CHIEF PROPHET
It is pure gold. Some god has written it.
CHAMBERLAIN
Some god?
CHIEF PEOPHET
Some god whose home is among the undying stars.
first sentey (aside to the Second Sentry)
Last night I saw a star go flaming earthward.
XING
Is this a warning or is it a doom?
CHIEF PEOPHET
The stars have spoken.
KING
It is, then, a doom?
CHIEF PEOPHET
They speak not in jest.
KING
I have been a great King — Let it be said of me
" The stars overthrew him, and they sent a god for
his doom." For I have not met my equal among
kings that man should overthrow me; and I have
not oppressed my people that man should rise up
against me.
CHIEF PEOPHET
It is better to give worship to the stars than to do
good to man. It is better to be humble before the
gods than proud in the face of your enemy though
he do evil.
56
THE GOLDEN DOOM
XING
Let the stars hearken yet and I will sacrifice a child
to them — I will sacrifice a girl child to the
twinkling stars and a male child to the stars that'
blink not, the stars of the steadfast eyes. (To his
Spies) Let a boy and girl be brought for sacri-
fice. (Exit a Spy to the right looking at footprints)
Will you accept this sacrifice to the god that the
stars have sent? They say that the gods love
children.
CHIEP PEOPHET
I may refuse no sacrifice to the stars nor to the
gods whom they send. (To the other Prophets)
Make ready the sacrificial knives.
[The Prophet 8 draw knives and sharpen them.
XING
Is it fitting that the sacrifice take place by the iron
door where the god from the stars has trod, or
must it be in the temple?
CHIEP PROPHET
Let it be offered by the iron door. (To the other
Prophets) Fetch hither the altar stone.
[The owl-like whistle is heard off right. The Third
Spy rwns crouching toward it. Exit.
XING
Will this sacrifice avail to avert the doom?
CHIEP PEOPHET
Who knows?
XING
I fear that even yet the doom will fall.
CHIEP PROPHET
It were wise to sacrifice some greater thing*
Digitized by
THE GOLDEN DOOM
57
KINO
What more can a man offer?
CHIEF PROPHET
His pride.
XING
What pride?
CHIEF PROPHET
Your pride that went up against the sky and
troubled the stars.
XING
How shall I sacrifice my pride to the stars?
CHIEF PROPHET
It is upon your pride that the doom will fall, and
will take away your crown and will take away your
kingdom.
XING
I will sacrifice my crown and reign uncrowned
amongst you, so only I save my kingdom.
CHIEF PROPHET
If you sacrifice your crown which is your pride,
and if the stars accept it, perhaps the god that
they sent may avert the doom and you may still
reign in your kingdom though humbled and un-
crowned.
XING
Shall I burn my crown with spices and with incense
or cast it into the sea?
CHIEF PROPHET
Let it be laid here by the iron door where the god
came who wrote the golden doom. When he comes
again by night to shrivel up the city or to pour
an enemy in through the iron door, he will see your
Digitized by
58 THE GOLDEN DOOM
cast-off pride and perhaps accept it and take it
away to the neglected stars.
king (to the Chamberlain)
Go after my spies and say that I make no sacrifice.
(Exit the Chamberlain to the right; the King takes
off his crown) Good-bye, my brittle glory; kings
have sought you; the stars have envied you. (The
i stage grows darker)
CHIEF PROPHET
Even now the sun has set who denies the stars, and
the day is departed wherein no gods walk abroad.
It is near the hour when spirits roam the earth and
all things that go unseen, and the faces of the abid-
ing stars will be soon revealed to the fields. Lay
your crown there and let us come away.
kino (lays his crown before the iron door; then to
the Sentries) Go! And let no man come near the
door all night.
the senteies (kneeling)
Yes, Majesty.
[They remain kneeling until after the King has gone.
King and the Chief Prophet walk away.
chief prophet
It was your pride. Let it be forgotten. May the
stars accept it. (Exewnt left)
[The Sentries rise.
first sentry
The stars have envied him!
SECOND SENTRY
It is an ancient crown. He wore it well,
FIRST SENTRY
May the stars accept it. -
THE GOLDEN DOOM
59
SECOND SJBNTEY
If they do not accept it what doom will overtake
him?
FIRST SENTEY
It will suddenly be as though there were never any
city of Zerieon nor two sentries like you and me
standing before the door.
SECOND SENTEY
Why! How do you know?
FIEST SENTEY
That is ever the way of the gods.
SECOND SENTEY
But it is unjust.
FIEST SENTEY
How should the gods know that?
SECOND SENTEY
Will it happen to-night?
FIEST SENTEY
Come! we must march away. (Exeunt right)
[The stage grows increasingly darker. Reenter the
Chamberlain from the right. He walks across the
Stage and goes out to the left. Reenter Spies from
the right. They cross the stage, which is now nearly
dark.
boy (enters from the right, dressed in white, his hands
out a little, crying) King's door, King's door, I want
my little hoop. (He goes up to the King's door.
When he sees the King's crown there, he utters a
satisfied) O-oh! (He takes it up, puts it on the
ground, and, beating it before him with the sceptre,
goes out by the way that he entered)
[The great door opens; there is light within; a fur-
tive Spy slips out and sees that the crown is gone.
60
THE GOLDEN DOOM
Another Spy slips out. Their crouching heads come
close together.
first spy {hoarse whisper)
The gods have come!
[They run back through the door and the door is
closed. It opens again and the King and the Cham-
berlain come through.
KING
The stars are satisfied.
\
CUE TAIN
KING ARGIMENES AND THE
UNKNOWN WARRIOR
Digitized by
PERSONS
Kino AbgimenSs
Zakb, a slave born of slaves
An Old Slave
A Young Slave
Slaves
Kino Darniak:
The King's Oversees
A Peophet
The Idol-Guard
The Seevant op the Kino's Dog
Queen Athaelia
Queen Oxaea
Queen Cahafea
Queen Thragolind
guards and attendants
Slaves of King Darniak
Queens of King Darniak
Time: A long time ago.
Digitized by Google
KING ARGIMENES AND THE
UNKNOWN WARRIOR
THE FIRST ACT
The tKntoer-hour on the slave-fields of King Datniak.
King Argmenes is sitting upon the ground, bowed,
Tagged and dirty, gnawing a bone. He has uncouth
hair and a dishevelled beard. A battered spade lies
near him. Two or three slaves sit at bach of stage
eating raw cabbage-leaves. The tear-song, the chant
of the low-born, rises at intervals, monotonous and
mournful, coming from distant slave-fields.
XING ARGIMENES
This is a good bone; there is juice in this bone*
ZARB
I wish I were you, Argimenes.
XING ARGIMENES
I am not to be envied any longer. I have eaten up
my bone.
ZARB
I wish I were you, because you have been a king.
Because men have prostrated themselves before your
feet* Because you have, ridden a horse and worn a
crown and have been ceiled Majqsty.
XING ARGIMENES
When I remember that I have beet * king it is very
terrible.
!
64 KING ARGIMENES [act i
ZARB
But you are lucky to have such things in your
memory as you have. I have nothing in my
memory — Once I went for a year without being |
flogged, and I remember my cleverness in contriving
it — I have nothing else to remember.
KINO ARGIMENES
It is very terrible to have been a king.
ZAEB
But we have nothing who have no good memories
in the past. It is not easy for us to hope for the
future here. |
KINO ARGIMENES
Have you any god?
ZARB
We may not have a god because he might make us
brave and we might kill our guards. He might
make a miracle and give us swords.
KING ARGIMENES
Ah, you have no hope, then.
ZARB
I have a little hope. Hush, and I will tell you a
secret — The King's great dog is ill and like to
die. They will throw him to us. We shall have
beautiful bones then.
KING ARGIMENES
Ah ! Bones.
ZARB
Yes. That is what I hope for. And have you no
other hope? Do you not hope that your nation
will arise some day and rescue you and cast off the
king and hang him up by his thumbs from the palace
gateway?
Digitized by
act i] KING ARGIMENES
65
KING ARGIMENES
No. I have no other hope, for my god was cast
down in the temple and broken into three pieces on
the day that they surprised us and took me sleep-
ing. But will they throw him to us? Will so
honorable a brute as the King's dog be thrown
to us?
ZAEB
When he is dead his honors are taken away. Even
the King when he is dead is given to the worms.
Then why should not his dog be thrown to us?
XING ARGIMENES
We are not worms!
ZARB
You do not understand, Argimenes. The worms are
little and free, while we are big and enslaved. I did
not say we were worms, but we are like worms, and
if they have the King when he is dead, why then —
XING ARGIMENES
Tell me more of the King's dog. Are there big
bones on him?
ZARB
Ay, he is a big dog — a high, big, black one.
XING ARGIMENES
You know him then?
ZARB
Oh yes, I know him. I know him well. I was
beaten once because of him, twenty-five strokes from
the treble whips, two men beating me.
XING ARGIMENES
How did they beat you because of the King's dog?
ZARB
They beat me because I spoke to him without mak-
66
KING ARGIMENES
[act I
ing obeisance. Re was coming dancing along over
the slave-fields and I spoke to him. He was a
friendly great dog, and I spoke to him and patted
his head, and did not make obeisance.
XING ABOIMENES
And they saw you do it?
ZAEB
Yes, the slave-guard saw me. They came and seized
me at onee and bound my arms. The great dog
wanted me to speak to him again, but I was hur-
ried away.
KINO ABGIMENES
You should have made obeisance.
ZAEB
The great dog seemed so friendly that I forgot he
was the King's great dog.
XING ABGIMENES
But tell me more. Was he hurt or is it a sickness?
ZABB
They say that it is a sickness.
XING ABGIMENES
Ah, then he will grow thin if he does not die soon.
If it had been a hurt! — but we should not com-
plain. I complain more often than you do because
I had not learned to submit while I was yet young.
ZABB
If your beautiful memories do not please you, you
should hope more. I wish I had your memories.
I should not trouble to hope then. It is very hard
to hope.
XING ABGIMENES
There will be nothing more to hope for when we
have eaten the King's dog.
Digitized by
act i] KING ARGIMENES
67
ZABB
Why, you might find gold in the earth while you
were digging. Then you might bribe the com-
mander of the guard to lend you his sword; we
would all follow you if you had a sword. Then
we might take the King and bind him and lay him
on the ground and fasten his tongue outside his
mouth with thorns and put honey on it and sprinkle
honey near. Then the gray ants would come from
one of their big mounds. My father found gold
once when he was digging.
kino aeoimenes (pointedly)
Did your father free himself?
ZABB
No. Because the King's Overseer found him looking
at the gold and killed him. But he would have freed
himself if he could have bribed the guard.
[A Prophet walks across the stage attended by two
guards.
slaves
He is going to the King. He is going to the King.
ZABB
He is going to the King.
KING ABGIMENES
Going to prophesy good things to the King. It
is easy to prophesy good things to a king, and be
rewarded when the good things come. What else
should come to a king? A prophet! A prophet!
[A deep beU tolls slowly. King Argvmenes and Zarb
pick up their spades at once, and the old slaves at
the back of the stage go down on their knees imme-
diately and grub in the soil with their hands. The
Digitized by
68
KING ARGIMENES [act i
white beard of the oldest trails in the dirt as he
works. King Argvmenes digs.
tfING AEGIMENE8
What is the name of that song that we always sing?
I like the song.
ZARB
It has no name. It is our song. There is no other
song.
KING ARGIMENES
Once there were other songs. Has this no name?
I think the soldiers have a name for it.
KING ARGIMENES
What do the soldiers call 'it?
ZARB
The soldiers call it the tear-song, the chant of the
low-born.
KING ARGIMENES
It is a good song. I could sing no other now.
[Zarb moves away digging.
king argimenes (to himself as his spade touches some-
thing the earth) Metal! {Feels with his spade
ogam) Gold perhaps! — It is of no use here,
(Uncovers earth leisurely. Suddenly he drops on
his knees and works excitedly in the earth with his
hands. Then very slowly, still kneeling, he lifts 9
lying flat on his hands, a long greenish sword, Ms
eyes intent on it. About the level of his uplifted
forehead he holds it, still flat on both hands, and
addresses it thus) O holy and blessed thing! (Then
he lowers it slowly till his hands rest on his knees,
and looking all the while at the sword, loquitur)
Three years ago to-morrow King Darniak spat at
ZARB
ACT i]
KING ARGIMENES
me, having taken my kingdom from me. Three
times in that year I was flogged, with twelve stripes,
with seventeen stripes, and with twenty stripes. A
year and eleven months ago, come Moon-day, the
King's Overseer struck me in the face, and nine
times in that year he called me dog. For one month
two weeks and a day I was yoked with a bullock
and pulled a rounded stone all day over the paths,
except while we were fed. I was flogged twice that
year — with eighteen stripes and with ten stripes.
This year the roof of the slave-sty has fallen in and
King Darniak will not repair it. Five weeks ago
one of his Queens laughed at me as she came across
the slave-fields. I was flogged again this year and
with thirteen stripes, and twelve times they have
called me dog. And these things they have done to
a king, and a king of the House of Ithara. (He
listen* attentively for a moment, then buries the
sword again and pats the earth over it with his
hands, then digs again)
[The old slaves do not see him: their faces are to
the earth. Enter the King's Overseer carrying a
"whip. The slaves and King Argimenes kneel with
their foreheads to the ground a* he passes across the
stage. Exit the King's Overseer.
kino argimenes {kneeling, hands outspread downward)
O warrior spirit, wherever thou wanderest, whoever
be thy gods, whether they punish thee or whether
they bless thee, O kingly spirit, that once laid here
this sword, behold, I pray to thee, having no gods
to pray to, for the god of my nation was broken in
three by night. Mine arm is stiff with three years'
slavery, and remembers not the sword. But guide
70
KING ARGIMENES
[act I
thy sword till I have slain six men and armed the
strongest slaves, and thou shalt have the sacrifice
every year of a hundred goodly oxen. And I will
build in Ithara a temple to thy memory wherein all
that enter in shall remember thee; so shalt thou be
honored and envied among the dead, for the dead
are very jealous of remembrance. Ay, though thou
wert a robber that took men's lives unrighteously,
yet shall rare spices smoulder in thy temple and
little maidens sing and new-plucked flowers deck the
.solemn aisles; and priests shall go about it ringing
bells that thy soul shall find repose. Oh, but it has
a good blade, this old green sword; thou wouldst
not like to see it miss its mark (if the dead see at
all, as wise men teach), thou wouldst not like to see
it go thirsting into the air; so huge a sword should
find its utarrowy bone. (Extending his right hand
upward) Come into my right arm, O ancient spirit,
unknown warrior's soul ! And if thou hast the ear
of any gods, speak there against Uluriel, god of
King Damiak. (He rises and goes on digging)
the king's ovebseeb (reentering)
So you have been praying.
king abgimenes (kneeling)
No, master.
THE KING'S OVEBSEEB
The slave-guard saw you. (Strikes him) It is not
lawful for a slave to pray.
KING ABGIMENES
1 did but pray to Uluriel to make me a good slave,
to teach me to dig well and to pull the rounded stone
and to make me not to die when the food is scarce,
but to be a good slave to .my master the great King.
act i] KING ARGIMENES
71
THE KING'S OVEBSEEB
Who art thou to pray to Illuriel? Dogs may not
pray to an immortal god. (Exit)
[Zarb comes back, digging.
king argimenes (digging)
Zarb!
zabb (also digging)
Do not look at me when you speak. The guards are
watching us. Look at your digging.
KING ARGIMENES
How do the guards know we are speaking because
we look at one another?
ZABB
You are very witless. Of course they know.
KING ARGIMENES
Zarb!
ZABB
What is it?
KING ARGIMENES
How many guards are there in sight?
ZABB
There are six of them over there. They are watch-
ing us.
KING ARGIMENES
Are there other guards in sight of these six guards?
ZABB
No.
KING ARGIMENES
How do you know?
ZABB
Because whenever their officer leaves them they sit
upon the ground and play with dice.
Digitized by
72 KING ARGIMENES [act i
KING AEGIMENES
How does that show that there are not another six
in sight of them?
ZAEB
How witless you are, Argimenes ! Of course it shows
there are not. Because, if there were, another of-
ficer would see them, and their thumbs would be
cut off.
KING AEGIMENES
Ah! (A pause) Zarb! (A pause) Would the
slaves follow me if I tried to kill the guards?
ZAEB
No, Argimenes.
KING AKGIMENES
Why would they not follow me?
ZAEB
Because you look like a slave. They will never
follow a slave, because they are slaves themselves,
and know how mean a creature is a slave. If you
looked like a king they would follow you.
KING AEGIMENES
But I am a king. They know that I am a king.
ZAEB
It is better to look like a king. It is looks that
they would go by.
KING AEGIMENES
If I had a sword would they follow me? A beautiful
huge sword of bronze.
I wish I could think of things like that. It is
because you were once a king that you can think
of a sword of bronze. I tried to hope once that I
should some day fight the guards, but I couldn't
ZAEB
act i] KING ARGIMENES
78
picture a sword, I couldn't imagine it; I could
only picture whips.
KING AEGIMENES
Dig a little nearer, Zarb. {They both edge closer)
I have found a very old sword in the earth. It is
not a sword such as common soldiers wear. A king
must have worn it, and an angry king. It must
have done fearful things; there are little dints in
it. Perhaps there was a battle here long ago where
all were slain, and perhaps that king died last and
buried his sword, but the great birds swallowed
him.
ZABB
You have been thinking too much of the King's dog,
Argimenes, and that has made you hungry, and
hunger has driven you mad.
KING AEGIMENES
I have found such a sword. [A pause.
ZABB
Why — then you will wear a purple cloak again,
and sit on a great throne, and ride a prancing horse,
and we shall call you Majesty.
KING AEGIMENES
I shall break a long fast first and drink much water,
and sleep. But will the slaves follow me?
ZABB
You will make them follow you if you have a sword.
Yet is Illuriel a very potent god. They say that
none have prevailed against King Darniak's dynasty
so long as Illuriel stood. Once an enemy cast Illuriel
into the river and overthrew the dynasty, but a
fisherman found him again and set him up, and the
enemy was driven out and the dynasty returned.
Digitized by
74
KING ARGIMENES
[act I
KING ABGIMENES
If Uluriel could be cast down as my god was cast
down perhaps King Darniak could be overcome as
I was overcome in my sleep?
ZABB
If Uluriel were cast down all the people would utter
a cry and flee away. It would be a fearful portent.
KING ABGIMENES
How many men are there in the armory at the
palace?
2A&B
There are ten men in the palace armory when all the
slave-guards are out.
[They dig awhile in silence.
ZABB
The officer of the slave-guard has gone away —
They are playing with dice now. (He throws down
his spade and stretches his arms) The man with
the big beard has won again, he is very nimble with
his thumbs — They are playing again, but it is
getting dark, I cannot clearly see.
[King Argimenes furtively uncovers the sword 9 he
picks it up and grips it in Jus hand.
ZABB v
Majesty!
[King Argimenes crouches and steals away towards
the slave-guard.
• ••••••
zabb (to the other slaves)
Argimenes has found a terrible sword and has gone
to slay the slave-guard. It is not a common sword,
it is some king's sword.
Digitized by
act i] KING ARGIMENES
75
AN OLD SLAVE
Argimene8 will be dreadfully flogged. We shall
hear him cry all night. His cries will frighten us,
ZA&B
No, no! The guards flog poor slaves, but Argi-
menes had an angry look. The guards will be afraid
when they see him look so angry and see his terrible
sword. It was a huge sword, and he looked very
angry. He will bring us the swords of the slave-
guard. We must prostrate ourselves before him
and kiss his feet or he will be angry with us too.
OLD 8 LAVE
Will Argimenes give me a sword?
ZA&B
He will have swords for six of us if he slays the
slave-guard. Yes, he will give you a sword*
SLAVE
A sword ! No, no, I must not ; the King would kill
me if he found that I had a sword.
second slave (slowly, as one who develops an idea)
If the King found that I had a sword, why, then it
would be an evil day for the King.
[They aU look off left.
ZA&B
I think that they are playing at dice again.
XT&ST SLAVE
I do not see Argimenes.
ZA&B
No, because he was crouching as he walked. The
slave-guard is on the sky-line.
SECOND SLAVE
What is that dark shadow behind the slave-guard?
and we shall not sleep.
76
KING ARGIMENES [act i
ZABB
It is too still to be Argimenes.
SECOND SLAVE
Look! It moves.
ZABB
The evening is too dark, I cannot see.
{They continue to gaze mto the gathering darkness.
They raise themselves on their knees and crane their
necks. Nobody speaks. Then from their lips and
from others farther off goes up a long 9 deep " Oh! 99
It is like the sound that goes up from the grand-
stand when a horse falls at a fence 9 or, in England,
like the first exclamation of the crowd at a great
cricket match when a man is caught in the slips.
CUB TAIN
THE SECOND ACT
The Throne Hall of King DarrUak. The King is
seated on his throne in the centre at the back of the
stage; a little to his left, but standing out from the
wall 9 a dark-green seated idol is set up. His Queens
are seated about him on the ground, two on his right
and two between hvm and the idol. All wear crowns.
Beside the dark-green idol a soldier with a pike is kneel-
ing upon one knee. The tear-song, the chant of the
low-born, drifts family up from the slave-fields.
FIBST QUEEN
Do show us the new prophet, Majesty; it would be
very interesting to see another prophet*
THE KING
Ah, yes.
[He strikes upon a gong, and an Attendant enters,
walks straight past the King and bows before the
idol; he then walks back to the centre of the stage
and bows before the King.
THE KING
Bring the new prophet hither.
[Exit Attendant. Enter the King's Overseer hold-
ing a roll of paper. He passes the King, bows to
the idol, returns to the front of the King, kneels,
and remains kneeling with bended head.
the king (speaking in the meanwhile to the Second
Queen on his immediate right) We are making a
beautiful arbor for you, O Atharlia, at an end of
78
KING ARGIMENES [act n
the great garden. There shall be iris-flowers that
you love and all things that grow by streams. And
the stream there shall be small and winding like one
of those in your country. I shall bring a stream
a new way from the mountains. (Turning t& Queen
Oxara on his extreme right) And for you, too,
Oxara, we shall make a pleasance. I shall have
rocks brought from the quarries for you, and my
idle slaves shall make a hill and plant it with moun-
tain shrubs, and you can sit there in the winter
thinking of the North. (To the kneeling Overseer)
Ah, what is here?
THE KINO'S OVERSEER
The plans of your royal garden, Majesty. The
slaves have dug it for five years and rolled the
paths.
the king (takes the plans)
Was there not a garden in Babylon?
THE KING'S OVERSEER
They say there was a garden there of some sort,
Majesty.
THE KING
1 will have a greater garden. Let the world know
and wonder. (Looks at the plans)
THE KING'S OVERSEER
It shall know at once, Majesty.
the king (pointing at the plan)
I do not like that hill, it is too steep.
THE KING'S OVERSEER
No, Majesty.
THE KING
Remove it.
Digitized by
act n]
KING ARGIMENES
THE KING'S OVERSEER
Yes, Majesty.
THE KING
When will the garden be ready for the Queens to
walk in?
THE KING'S OVEESEEE
Work is slow, Majesty, at this season of the year
because the green stuff is scarce and the slaves grow
idle. They even become insolent and ask for bones.
queen cahafba (to the King 9 8 Overseer)
Then why are they not flogged? (To Queen Thro-
golind) It is so simple, they only have to flog them,
but these people are so silly sometimes. I want to
walk in the great garden, and then they tell me:
"It is not ready, Majesty. It is not ready, Maj-
esty," as though there were any reason why it should
not be ready.
FOURTH QUEEN
Yes, they are a great trouble to us.
[Mea/nwhUe the King hands back the plans. Exit
the King's Overseer. Reenter Attendant with the
Prophet, who is dressed in a long dark brown cloak;
his face is solemn; he has a long dark beard and)
long hair. Having bowed before the idol, he bows
before the King and stands silent. The attendant,
having bowed to both, stands by the doorway.
the king (meanwhile to Queen Atharlia)
Perhaps we shall lure the ducks when the marshes
are frozen to come and swim in your stream ; it will
be like your own country. (To the Prophet)
Prophesy unto us.
the peophet (speaks at once in a loud voice)
There was once a King that had slaves to hate him
i 80
KING ARGIMENES [act n
and to toil for him, and he had soldiers to guard
him and to die for him. And the number of the
slaves that he had to hate him and to toil, for him
was greater than the number of the soldiers that
he had to guard him and to die for him. And the
days of that King were few. And the number of thy
slaves, King, that thou hast to hate thee is greater
than the number of thy soldiers.
queen cahafea (to Queen Thragolmd)
— and I wore the crown with the sapphires and the
big emerald in it, and the foreign prince said that
I looked very sweet.
[The King, who has been smiling at Atharlia, gives
a gracious nod to the Prophet when he hears him
stop speaking. When the Queens see the King nod
graciously, they applaud the Prophet by idly clap-
ping their hands.
THIED QUEEN
Do ask him to make us another prophecy, Majesty!
He is so interesting. He looks so clever.
THE KING
Prophesy unto us.
THE PEOPHET
Thine armies camped upon thy mountainous borders
descry no enemy in the plains afar. And within thy
gates lurks he for whom thy sentinels seek upon
lonely guarded frontiers. There is a fear upon me
and a boding. Even yet there is time, even yet;
but little time. And my mind is dark with trouble
for thy kingdom.
queen cahafea (to Queen Thragolmd)
I do not like the way he does his hair.
Digitized by
act n] KING ARGIMENES
81
QUEEN THEAGOUND
It would be all right if he would only have it cut.
the king ,( to the Prophet, dismissing him with a nod
of the head) Thank you, that has been very
interesting.
QUEEN THEAGOUND
How clever he is ! I wonder how he thinks of things
like that?
QUEEN CAHAFEA
Yes, but I hate a man who is conceited about it.
Look how he wears his hair.
QUEEN THEAGOUND
Yes, of course, it is perfectly dreadful.
QUEEN CAHAFEA
Why can't he wear his hair like other people, even
if he does say clever things?
QUEEN THEAGOUND
Yes, I hate a conceited man. 1
[Enter an Attendant. He bows before the idol, then
kneels to the King.
THE ATTENDANT
The guests are all assembled in the Chamber of
Banquets.
[All rise. The Queens walk two abreast to the
Chamber of Banquets.
queen athaeua (to Queen Oxara)
What was he talking about?
QUEEN OXAEA
He was talking about the armies on the frontier.
1 It is not necessary for the prophet's hair to be at all unusual.
Digitized by
82
KING ARGIMENES [act n
QUEEN ATHAEUA
Ah! That reminds me of that young captain in
the Purple Guard. They say that he loves Linoora.
QUEEN OXAEA
Oh, Thearkos! Linoora probably said that.
[When the Queens come to the doorway they halt
on each side of it. Then they turn facing one atnr
other. Then the King leaves his throne and passes
between them into the Chamber of Banquets, each
couple courtseymg low to him as he passes. The
Queens follow, then the attendants. There rises the
wine-song, the chant of the nobles, drowning the
chant of the low-born. Only the Idol-Guard remains
behind, still kneeling beside Illuriel.
THE IDOL-GUARD
I do not like those things the Prophet said — It
would be terrible if they were true — It would be
very terrible if they were false, for he prophesies
in the name of Illuriel — Ah! They are singing
the wine-song, the chant of the nobles. The Queens
are singing. How merry they are! — I should
like to be a noble and sit and look at the Queens.
{He joins in the song)
THE VOICE OF A SENTINEL
Guard, turn out. (The wine-song still continues)
THE VOICE OF ONE HAVING AUTHOEITY
Turn out the guard there ! Wake up, you accursed
pigs!
[Still the wine-song. A faint sownd as of swords.
A VOICE CEYING
To the armory ! To the armory ! Reinforce ! The
Slaves have come to the armory. Ah! mercy! (For
awhile there is silence)
Digitized by
act n]
KING ARGIMENES
83
king abgimenes (in the doorway)
Go you to the slave-fields. Say that the palace-
guard is dead and that we have taken the armory.
Ten of you, hold the armory till our men come from
the slave-fields. (He comes into the hall with his
slaves armed with swords) Throw down Illuriel.
THE IDOL-GUARD
You must take my life before you touch my god.
A SLAVE
We only want your pike.
[AU attach him; they seize his sword and bind his
hands behind him. They all pull down Illuriel, the
dark-green idol, who breaks into seven pieces.
KING ARGIMENES
Illuriel is fallen and broken asunder.
zabb (with some awe)
Immortal Illuriel is dead at last.
KING ARGIMENES
My god was broken into three pieces, but Illuriel
is broken into seven. The fortunes of Darniak will
prevail over mine no longer. (A slave breaks off a
golden arm from the throne) Come, we will arm all
the slaves. (Exeimt)
king darniak (enter s with Retinue)
My throne is broken. Illuriel is turned against me.
AN ATTENDANT
Illuriel is fallen.
all (with King Darniak)
Illuriel is fallen, is fallen. (Some drop their spears)
king darniak (to the IdolrGuard)
What envious god or sacrilegious man has dared to
do this thing?
84
KING ARGIMENES [act n
THE IDOL-GUARD
Illuriel is fallen*
KING DABNIAK
Have men been here?
THE IDOL-GUARD
Is fallen.
KING DABNIAK
What way did they go?
THE IDOL-GUARD
IUuriel is fallen.
KING DABNIAK
They shall be tortured here before IUuriel, and their
eyes shall be hung on a thread about his neck, so
that Illuriel shall see it, and on their bones we will
set him up again. Come !
[Those that have dropped their spears pick them
up, but trail them along behind them on the ground.
AU follow dejectedly.
voices of lamentation (growing fainter and fainter
off) Illuriel is fallen, Illuriel is fallen. Illuriel,
Illuriel, Illuriel. Is fallen. Is fallen. (The song of
the low-born ceases suddenly. Then voices of the
slaves in the slave- fields chanting very loudly) IUu-
riel is faUen, is faUen, is faUen. IUuriel is fallen and
broken asunder. IUuriel is faUen, faUen, faUen.
[Clamor of fighting is heard 9 the clash of swords,
and voices, and now and then the name of IUuriel.
the idol-guabd (kneeling over a fragment of IUuriel)
IUuriel is broken. They have overthrown IUuriel.
They have done great harm to the courses of the
stars. The moon wiU be turned to blackness or fall
and forsake the nights. The sun wiU rise no more.
act n] KING ARGIMENES
85
They do not know how they have wrecked the world.
[Reenter King Argimenes and his men.
king aegimenes (in the doorway)
Go you to the land of Ithara and tell them that I
am free. And do you go to the army on the fron-
tier. Offer them death, or the right arm of the
throne to be melted and divided amongst them all:
Let them choose. (The armed slaves go to the
throne and stand on each side of it, loqvitwr) Maj-
esty, ascend your throne. (King Argimenes, stand-
ing with his face toward the audience, lifts the sword
slowly, lying on both his hands, a little above his
head, then looking up at it, loquitur) Praise to the
unknown warrior and to all gods that bless him.
(He ascends the throne. Zarb prostrates himself
at the foot of it and remains prostrated for the rest
of the Act, muttering at intervals " Majesty." An
armed slave enters dragging the King's Overseer.
King Argimenes sternly watches him. He is dragged
before the Throne. He still has the roll of parch-
ment in his hand. For some moments King Argi-
menes does not speak. Then pointing at the parch-
ment) What have you there?
the king's oveeseee (kneeling)
It is a plan of the great garden, Majesty. It was
to have been a wonder to the world. (Unfolds it)
king aegimenes (grimly)
Show me the place that I digged for three years.
(The King's Overseer shows it with trembling hands;
the parchment shakes visibly) Let there be built
there a temple to an Unknown Warrior. And let
this sword be laid on its altar evermore, that the
ghost of that Warrior wandering by night (if men
Digitized by
86
KING ARGIMENES [act n
do walk by night from across the grave) may see
his sword again. And let slaves be allowed to pray
there and those that are oppressed; nevertheless
the noble and the mighty shall not fail to repair
there too, that the Unknown Warrior shall not lack
due reverence.
[Enter, rurvning, a Mem of the household of King
Darniak. He starts and stares aghast on seeing
King Argimenes.
KING AKGIMENES
Who are you?
MAN
I am the servant of the King's dog.
KINO AKGIMENES
Why do you come here?
MAN
The King's dog is dead.
kino akgimenes and his men {savagely and htmgrUy)
Bones !
king argimenes {remembering suddenly what has hap-
pened and where he is) Let him be buried with the
late King.
zakb {in a voice of protest)
Majesty!
curtain
j
I
Digitized by
THE GLITTERING GATE
Digitized by Google
PERSONS
JIM ' lat :! y l hur ^ r ] Both dead
BELL, " " J
Scene: A Lonely Place.
Time: The present.
i
Digitized by
THE GLITTERING GATE
The Lonely Place is strewn with large black rocks
and uncorked beer-bottles* the latter in great profur-
sion. At back is a wall of granite built of great slabs,
and in it the Gate of Heaven. The door is of gold.
Below the Lonely Place is an abyss hwng with stars.
The rising curt am reveals Jim wearily uncorking a
beer-bottle. Then he tilts it slowly and with infinite
care. It proves to be empty. Faint and wnpleascmt
laughter is heard off. This action and the accompany-
ing far laughter are repeated continually throughout
the play. Corked bottles are discovered lying behind
rocks f and more descend constantly through the air 9
within reach of Jim. All prove to be empty.
Jim uncorks a few bottles.
jim (weighing one carefully)
That 's a full one. (It is empty, like aU)
, [Singing is heard off left. N
bill (enters from left with a bullet-hole over his eye 9
singing) Rule Britannia, Britannia rule the waves.
(Breaking off his song) Why, 'ullo. 'Ere 's a
bottle of beer. (Finds it empty; looking off and
downward) I 'm getting a bit tired of those bloom-
ing great stars down there and this rocky ledge.
I Ve been walking along under this wall ever since.
Why, it must be twenty-four hours since that house-
holder shot me. And he needn't have done it,
90 THE GLITTERING GATE
either, / wasn't going to hurt the bloke. I only
wanted a bit of his silver stuff. It felt funny, that
did Hullo, a gate/ Why, that's the Gate of
Heaven. Well, well. So that's all right. (Looks
up and up for some time) No. I can't climb that
wall. Why, it's got no top to it. Up and up it
goes. (Knocks at the door and waits)
JIM
That is n't for the likes of us.
BILL
Why, hullo, there 's another bloke. Why, some-
body 's been hanging him. Why, if it is n't old Jim!
Jim!
jim (wearily)
Hullo.
BILL
Why, Jim! 'Ow long *ave you been 'ere?
JIM
I am 'ere always.
BILL
Why, Jim, don't you remember me? Why, you
taught Bill to pick locks years and years ago when
he was a little boy, and had never learnt a trade
and hadn't a penny in the world, and never would
have had but for you, Jim. (Jim stares vaguely)
I never forgot you* Jim. I broke into scores of
houses. And then I took on big houses. Out in the
country, you know, real big ones. I got rich, Jim,
and respected by all who knew me. I was a citizen,
Jim, one who dwelt in our midst. And of an even-
ing, sitting over the fire, I used to say, " I am as
clever as Jim." But I wasn't, Jim. I couldn't
climb like you. And I couldn't walk like you on
Digitized by
THE GLITTERING GATE 91
a creaky stair, when everything's quite still and
there 's a dog in the house and little rattly things
left lying about, and a door that whines if you touch
it, and someone ill upstairs that you didn't know
of, who has nothing to do but to listen for you
'cause she can't get to slfcep. Don't you remember
little Bill?
JIM
That would be somewhere else.
BILL
Yes, Jim, yes. Down on Earth.
JIM
But there is n't anywhere else.
BILL
I never forgot yov^ Jim. I 'd be pattering away
with my tongue, in Church, like all the rest, but all
the time I 'd be thinking of you in that little room
at Putney and the man searching every corner of
it for you with a revolver in one hand and a candle
in the other, and you almost going round with him.
JIM
What is Putney?
BILL
Oh, Jim, can't you remember? Can't you remember
the day you taught me a livelihood? I was n't more
than twelve, and it was spring, and all the may was
in blossom outside the town. And we cleared out
No. 25 in the new street. And next day we saw the
man's fat, silly face. It was thirty years ago.
JIM
What are years?
BILL
Oh, Jvml
92 THE GLITTERING GATE
JIM
You see there is n't any hope here. And when there
isn't any hope there isn't any future. And when
there is n't any future there is n't any past. It 's
just the present here. I tell you we 're stuck. There
are n't no years here. Nor no nothing.
BILL
Cheer up, Jim. You 're thinking of a quotation,
" Abandon hope, all ye that enter here." I used to
learn quotations; they are awfully genteel. A fel-
low called Shakespeare used to ^make them. But
there is n't any sense in them. What 's the use of
saying ye when you mean yout Don't be thinking
of quotations, Jim.
JIM
I tell you there is no hope here.
BILL
Cheer up, Jim. There 's plenty of hope there, is n't
there? (Points to the Gate of Heaven)
JIM
Yes, and that 's why they keep it locked up so.
They won't let us have any. No. I begin to re-
member Earth again now since you 've been speak-
ing. It was just the same there. The more they 'd
got the more they wanted to keep you from having
a bit.
BILL
You H cheer up a bit when I tell you what I 've got.
I say, Jim, have you got some beer? Why, so you
have. Why, you ought to cheer up, Jim.
JIM
All the beer you 're ever likely to see again. They 're
empty.
Digitized by
THE GLITTERING GATE 98
bill (half rising from the rock on which he has seated
himself 9 and pointing his finger at Jim as he rises;
very cheerfully) Why, you 're the chap that said
there was no hope here, and you 're hoping to find
beer in every bottle you open.
JIM
Yes ; I hope to see a drop of beer in one some day,
but I know I won't. Their trick might not work
just once.
BILL
How many have you tried, Jim?
JIM
Oh, I don't know. I 've always been at it, working
as fast as I can, ever since — ever since — (Feels his
neck meditatively and up toward his ear) Why, ever
since, Bill.
BILL
Why don't you stop it?
JIM
I 'm too thirsty, Bill.
BILL
What do you think / *ve got, Jim?
JIM
I don't know. Nothing's any use.
bill (as yet another bottle is shown to be empty")
Who 's that laughing, Jim?
jim (astonished at such a question* loudly and em-
phatically) Who 's that laughing?
bill (looks a little disconcerted at having apparently
asked a silly question) Is it a pal?
JIM
A pal! — (laughs) (The laugh off joins in loudly
and for long)
Digitized by
94 THE GLITTERING GATE
BILL
Well, I don't know. But, Jim, what do you think
I 've got?
JIM
It is n't any good to you whatever it is. Not even
if it is a ten-pound note.
BILL
It 's better than a ten-pound note, Jim. Jim, try
and remember, Jim. Don't you remember the way
we used to go for those iron safes? Do you re-
member anything, Jim?
JIM
Yes, I am beginning to remember now. There used
to be sunsets. And then there were great yellow
lights. And one went in behind them through a
swinging door.
BILL
Yes, yes, Jim. That was the Blue Bear down at
Wimbledon.
JIM
Yes, and the room was all full of golden light. And
there was beer with light in it, and some would be
spilt on the counter and there was light in that too.
And there was a girl standing there with yellow
hair. She 'd be the other side of that door now, with
lamplight in her hair among the angels, and the
old smile on her lips if one of them chaffed her,
and her pretty teeth a-shining. She would be very
near the throne ; there was never any harm in Jane.
BELL
No, there was never any 'arm in Jane, Jim.
JIM
Oh, I don't want to see the angels, Bill. But if I
Digitized by
THE GLITTERING GATE 95
could see Jane again (points in direction of laugh)
he might laugh as much as he cared to whenever I
wanted to cry. You can't cry here, you know, Bill.
[Jim takes no interest in this remark; he lowers his
eyes and goes on with his work.
BILL
Jim, you shall see her again. You want to get into
Heaven, don't you?
jim {not raising his eyes)
BILL
Jim. Do you know what I've got, Jim?
[Jim makes no answer, goes on wearily with his
work.
BILL
You remember those iron safes, Jim, how we used
to knock them open like walnuts with " Old Nut-
cracker "?
jim (at work, wearily)
Empty again.
BILL
Well, I 've got Old Nut-cracker. I had him in my
hand at the time, and they let me keep him. They
thought it would be a nice proof against me.
JIM
Nothing is any good here.
BILL
I'll get in to Heaven, Jim. And you shall come
with me because you taught me a livelihood. I
couldn't be happy there, like those angels, if I
BILL
You shall see her again, Jim.
Want!
96 THE GLITTERING GATE
knew of anyone being outside. I 'm not like that.
BILL
Jim, Jim. You'll see Jane there.
JIM
You '11 never get through those gates, Bill. You Tl
never do it.
BILL
They 're only gold, Jim. Gold 's soft like lead. Old
Nut-cracker would do it if they were steel.
JIM
You 11 never do it, Bill.
{BUI puts a rock against the gates, stands on it to
reach the lock and gets to work on the lock. A good
instrument to use is an egg-whipper. Jim goes on
wearily with his work. As Bill works away y frag-
ments and golden screws begin to fall on the floor.
BILL
Jim ! Old Nut-cracker thinks nothing of it. It 's
just like cheese to old Nut-cracker.
JIM
They won't let you do it, Bill.
They don't know what I 've got. I 'm getting
through it like cheese, Jim.
Suppose it 's a mile thick. Suppose it 's a million
miles thick. Suppose it 's a hundred million miles
thick.
Can't be, Jim. These doors are meant to open
outward. They could n't do that if they were more
\_Jbm goes on with his work.
BILL
JIM
BILL
THE GLITTERING GATE 97
than four inches at the most, not for an Archbishop.
They 'd stick.
You remember that great safe we broke open once,
what had coal in it.
This is n't a safe, Jim, this is Heaven. There 11 be
the old saints with their halos shining and flicker-
ing, like windows o' wintry nights. (Creak, creak,
creak) And angels thick as swallows along a cot-
tage roof the day before they go. (Creak, creak,
creak) And orchards full of apples as far as you
can see, and the rivers of Tigris and Euphrates, so
the Bible says; and a city of gold, for those that
care for cities, all full of precious stones; but I'm
a bit tired of cities and precious stones. (Creak,
creak, creak) I '11 go out into the fields where the
orchards are, by the Tigris and the Euphrates. I
should n't be surprised if my old mother was there.
She never cared much for the way I earned my
livelihood (creak, creak) , but she was a good
mother to me. I don't know if they want a good
mother in there who would be kind to the angels
and sit and smile at them when they sang and soothe
them if they were cross. If they let all the good
ones in she '11 be there all right. (Suddenly) Jim!
They won't have brought me up against her, will
they? That 's not fair evidence, Jim.
M
It would be just like them to. Very like them.
If there 's a glass of beer to be got in Heaven, or
a dish of tripe and onions, or a pipe of 'bacca she 11
JIM
PILL
BILL
98
THE GLITTERING GATE
have them for me when I come to her. She used
to know my ways wonderful; and what I liked.
And she used to know when to expect me almost
anywhere. I used to climb in through the window
at any hour and she always knew it was me. (Creak,
creak) She '11 know it 's me at the door now, Jim.
(Creaky creak) It will be all a blaze of light, and
I '11 hardly know it 's her till I get used to it. . . .
But I '11 know her among a million angels. There
were n't none like her on Earth and there won't be
none like her in Heaven. . . . Jim ! I 'm through,
Jim ! One more turn, and old Nut-cracker 's done
it! It's giving! It's giving! I know the feel of
it. Jim!
[At last there is a noise of falling bolts; the gates
bwing out an inch and are stopped by the rock.
BILL
Jim ! Jim ! I 've opened it, Jim. I 've opened the
Gate of Heaven! Come and help me.
jim (looks up for a moment with open mouth. Then
he mournfully shakes his head and goes on drawing
a cork) Another one empty.
bill (looks down once into the abyss that lies below
the Lonely Place) Stars. Bloodting great stars.
[Then he moves away the rock on tqhich he stood.
The gates move slowly. Jim leaps up and nuns to
help; they each take a gate and mow backward
with their faces against it. 9
bill •
Hullo, mother! You there? Hullo! You there?
It 's Bill, mother.
[The gates swing heavily open, revealing empty night
and stars. ~
Digitized by
THE GLITTERING GATE 99
bill (staggering and gazing into the revealed Nothing,
in which far stars go wandering) Stars. Blooming
great stars. There airCt no Heaven, Jim.
[Ever since the revelation a cruel and violent laugh
has arisen off. It increases in volume and grows
louder and louder.
That's like them. That's very like them. Yes,,
they'd do that!
The curtain falls and the laughter, still howls on.
JIM
Digitized by Google
THE LOST SILK HAT
Digitized by Google
PERSONS
The Caller
The Laborer
The Clerk
The Poet
The Policeman
Scene: A fashionable London street.
Digitized by
THE LOST SILK HAT
The Caller stands on a doorstep, "faultlessly
dressed," but without a hat. At first he shows despair,
then a new thought engrosses hint.
Enter the Laborer.
THE CALLER
Excuse me a moment. Excuse me — but — I M be
greatly obliged to you if — if you could see your
way — in fact, you can be of great service to me
if —
THE LABORER
Glad to do what I can, sir.
CALLER
Well, all I really want you to do is just to ring
that bell and go up and say — er — say that you 've
come to see to the drains, or anything like that, you
know, and get hold of my hat for me*
LABORER
Get hold of your 'at!
CALLER
Yes. You see, I left my hat behind most unfor-
tunately. It 's in the drawing-room (points to winr
dow) 9 that room there, half under the long sofa, the
far end from the door. And if you could possibly
go and get it, why 1 9 d be (The Laborer's expression
changes) — Why, what's the matter?
laborer (firmly)
I don't like this job.
104 THE LOST SILK HAT
CALLER
Don't like this job! But my dear fellow, don't be
silly, what possible harm — ?
LABORER
Ah-h. That 's what I don't know.
CALLER
But what harm can there possibly be in so simple a
request? What harm does there seem to be?
LABORER
Oh, it seems all right.
CALLER
Well, then.
LABORER
All these crack jobs do seem all right.
CALLER
But I 'm not asking you to rob the house.
LABORER
Don't seem as if you are, certainly, but I don't like
the looks of it ; what if there 's things what I can't
*elp taking when I gets inside?
CALLER
I only want my hat — Here, I say, please don't go
away — here 's a sovereign, it will only take you a
minute.
LABORER
What I want to know —
CALLER
Yes?
LABORER
— Is what 's in that hat?
CALLER
What's in the hat?
THE LOST SILK HAT 105
LABORER
Yes ; that 's what I want to know.
CALLER
> What 's in the hat?
LABORER
Yes, you are n't going to give me a sovereign — ?
CALLER
I '11 give you two sovereigns.
LABORER
You are n't going to give me a sovereign, and rise it
to two sovereigns, for an empty hat?
CALLER
But I must have my hat. I can't be seen in the
streets like this. There 's nothing in the hat. What
do you think 's in the hat?
LABORER
Ah, I 'm not clever enough to say that, but it looks
as if the papers was in that hat.
CALLER
The papers?
LABORER
Yes, papers proving, if you can get them, that
you're the heir to that big house, and some poor
innocent will be defrauded.
CALLER
Look here, the hat's absolutely empty. I must
have my hat. If there 's anything in it you shall
have it yourself as well as the two pounds, only
get me my hat.
LABORER
Well, that seems all right.
CALLER
That's right, then you'll run up and get it?
106 THE LOST SILK HAT
LABORER
Seems all right to me and seems all right to you.
But it's the police what you and I have got to
think of. Will it seem all right to them?
CALLER
Oh, for heaven's sake —
LABORER
CALLER
Look here.
LABORER
Ah, I got you there, mister.
CALLER
Look here, for goodness sake don't go*
LABORER
Ah! {Exit)
[Enter the Clerk.
CALLER
Excuse me, sir. Excuse my asking you, but, as
you see, I am without a hat. I shall be extraordi-
narily obliged to you if you would be so very good
as to get it for me. Pretend you have come to wind
the clocks, you know. I left it in the drawing-
room of this house, half under the long sofa, the
far end.
CLERK
Oh, er — all right, only —
CALLER
Thanks so much, I am immensely indebted to you.
Aht
CALLER
What a hopeless fool you are.
LABORER
Ah!
THE LOST SILK HAT 107
Just say you've come to wind the clocks, you
know.
I — er — don't think I 'm very good at winding
clocks, you know.
Oh, that 's all right, just stand in front of the
clock and fool about with it. That 's all they ever
do. I must warn you there 's a lady in the room.
CALLER
But that's all right, you know. Just walk past
up to the clock.
CLERK
But I think, if you don't mind, as there 's someone
there —
CALLER
Oh, but she 's quite young and very, very beautiful
and —
CLERK
Why don't you get it yourself?
CALLER
That is impossible.
CLERK
Impossible?
CALLER
Yes, I have sprained my ankle.
CLERK
Oh! Is it bad?
CALLER
Yes, very bad indeed.
CLERK
CALLER
CLERK
Oh!
108
THE LOST SILK HAT
CLERK
I don't mind trying to carry you up.
CALLER
No, that would be worse. My foot has to be kept
on the ground.
clerk
But how will you get home?
CALLER
I can walk all right on the flat.
CLERK
I'm afraid I have to be going on. It's rather
later than I thought.
CALLER
But for goodness sake don't leave me. You can't
leave me here like this without a hat.
CLERK
I 'm afraid I must, it 's later than I thought.
(Exit)
[Enter the Poet.
CALLER
Excuse me, sir. Excuse my stopping you. But I
should be immensely obliged to you if you would do
me a very great favor. I have unfortunately left my
hat behind while calling at this house. It is half
under the long sofa, at the far end. If you could
possibly be so kind as to pretend you have come to
tune the piano and fetch my hat for me I should be
enormously grateful to you.
POET
But why cannot you get it for yourself?
CALLER
I cannot.
THE LOST SILK HAT 109
POET
If you would tell me the reason perhaps I could help
you.
CALLER
I cannot. I can never enter that house again.
POET
If you have committed a murder, by all means tell
me. I am not sufficiently interested in ethics to wish
to have you hanged for it.
CALLER
Do I look like a murderer?
POET
No, of course not. I am only saying that you can
safely trust me, for not only does the statute book
and its penalties rather tend to bore me, but murder
itself has always had a certain fascination for me.
I write delicate and fastidious lyrics, yet, strange as
it may appear, I read every murder trial, and my
sympathies are always with the prisoner.
CALLER
But I tell you I am not a murderer.
POET
Then what have you done?
CALLER
I have quarrelled with a lady in that house and have
sworn to join the Bosnians and die in Africa.
POET
But this is beautiful.
CALLER
Unfortunately I forgot my hat.
POET
You go to die for a hopeless love, and in a far coun-
try ; it was the wont of the troubadours.
110 THE LOST SILK HAT
CALLER
But you will get my hat for me?
POET
That I will gladly do for you. But we must find an
adequate reason for entering the house.
CALLER
You pretend to tune the piano.
POET
That, unfortunately, is impossible. The sound of a
piano being unskilfully handled is to me what the
continual drop of cold water on the same part of the
head is said to be in countries where that interesting
torture is practised. There is —
CALLER
But what are we to do?
POET
There is a house where kind friends of mine have
given me that security and comfort that are a poet's
necessity. But there was a governess there and a
piano. It is years and years since I was able even to
see the faces of those friends without an inward
shudder.
CALLER
Well, we '11 have to think of something else.
POET
You are bringing back to these unhappy days the
romance of an age of which the ballads tell us that
kings sometimes fought in no other armor than their
lady's nightshirt.
CALLER
Yes, but you know first of all I must get my KaU
POET
But why?
Digitized by
THE LOST SILK HAT 111
CALLEE
I cannot possibly be seen in the streets without
a hat*
POET
Why not?
CALLEE
It can't be done.
POET
But you confuse externals with essentials.
CALLEE
I don't know what you call essentials, but being
decently dressed in London seems pretty essential
to me.
A hat is not one of the essential things of life.
I don't want to appear rude, but my hat is n't quite
like yours.
Let us sit down and talk of things that matter,
things that will be remembered after a hundred years.
(They sit) Regarded in this light one sees at once
the triviality of hats. But to die, and die beautifully
for a hopeless love, that is a thing one could make a
lyric about. That is the test of essential things —
try and imagine them in a lyric. One could not
write a lyric about a hat.
I don't care whether you could write a lyric about
my hat or whether you could n't. All I know is that
I am not going to make myself absolutely ridiculous
by walking about in London without a hat. Will you
get it for me or will you not?
POET
CALLEE
POET
CALLEE
112 THE LOST SILK HAT
POET
To take any part in the tuning of a piano is im-
CALLER
Well, pretend you 've come to look at the radiator.
They have one under the window, and I happen to
know it leaks.
poet
I suppose it has an artistic decoration on it.
CALLER
Yes, I think so.
poet
Then I decline to look at it or to go near it. I know
these decorations in cast iron. I once saw a pot-
bellied Egyptian god, named Bes, and he was meant
to be ugly, but he was n't as ugly as these decorations
that the twentieth century can make with machinery.
What has a plumber got to do with art that he should
dare to attempt decoration?
CALLER
Then you won't help me.
POET
I won't look at ugly things and I won't listen to
ugly noises, but if you can think of any reasonable
plan I don't mind helping you.
CALLER
I can think of nothing else. You don't look like a
plumber or a clock-winder. I can think of nothing
more. I have had a terrible ordeal and I am not in
the condition to think calmly.
POST
Then you will have to leave your hat to its altered
destiny.
possible to me.
THE LOST SILK HAT 118
CA1XER
Why can't you think of a plan? If yon 're a poet,
thinking's rather in your line.
If I could bring my thoughts to -contemplate so ab-
surd a thing as a hat for any length of time no doubt
I could think of a plan, but the very triviality of the
theme seems to scare them away.
caller (rising)
Then I must get it myself.
For Heaven's sake, don't do that! Think what it
means!
I know it will seem absurd, but not so absurd as
walking through London without it.
I don't mean that. But you will make it up. You
will forgive each other, and you will marry her and
have a family of noisy, pimply children like everyone
else, and Romance will be dead. No, don't ring that
bell. Go and buy a bayonet, or whatever one does
buy, and join the Bosnians.
CALUBB.
I tell you I can't without a hat.
POET
What is a hat ! Will you sacrifice for it a beautiful
doom? Think of your bones, neglected and for-
gotten, lying forlornly because of hopeless love on
endless golden sands. " Lying forlorn ! " as Keats
said. What a word ! Forlorn in Africa. The care-
less Bedouins going past by day, at night the lion's
roar, the grievous voice of the desert.
POET
POET
GALUBB
POET
114
THE LOST SILK HAT
CALLER
As a matter of fact, I don't think you 're right in
speaking of it as desert* The Bosnians, I believe,
are only taking it because it is supposed to be the
most fertile land in the world.
POET
What of that? You will not be remembered by geog-
raphy and statistics, but by golden-mouthed Ro-
mance. And that is how Romance sees Africa.
CALLEE
Well, I 'm going to get my hat.
POET
Think ! Think ! If you enter by that door you will
never fall among the foremost Bosnians. You will
never die in a far-off, lonely land to lie by immense
Sahara. And she will never weep for your beautiful
doom and call herself cruel in vain.
CALLER
Hark ! She is playing the piano. It seems to me that
she might be unhappy about it for years. I don't
see much good in that.
POET
No. / will comfort her.
CALLER
I 'm damned if you do! Look here! I don't mind
saying, I 'm damned if you do.
POET
Calm yourself. Calm yourself. I do not mean in that
way.
CALLER
Then what on earth do you mean?
POET
I will make songs about your beautiful death, glad
THE LOST SILK HAT 115
songs and sad songs. They shall be glad because
they tell again the noble tradition of the troubadours,
and sad because they tell of your sorrowful destiny
and of your hopeless love.
I shall make legends also about your lonely bones,
telling perhaps how «ome Arabian men, finding them
in the desert by some oasis, memorable in war, won-
der who loved them. And then as I read them to
her, she weeps perhaps a little, and I read instead
of the glory of the soldier, how it overtops our
transitory —
CALUEE
Look here, I 'm not aware that you *ve ever been in-
troduced to her.
poet
A trifle, a trifle.
caller
It seems to me that you 're in rather an undue hurry
for me to get a Jubu spear in me ; but I 'm going to
get my hat first.
POET
I appeal to you. I appeal to you in the name of
beautiful battles, high deeds, and lost causes ; in the
name of love-tales told to cruel maidens and told in
vain. In the name of stricken hearts broken like
beautiful harp-strings, I appeal to you.
I appeal in the ancient holy name of Romance: do
not ring that bell.
[Caller rings the beU.
poet (sits doun^ abject)
You will marry. You will sometimes take a ticket
with your wife as far as Paris. Perhaps as far as
Cannes. Then the family will come ; a large sprawl-
116
THE LOST SILK HAT
ing family as far as the eye can see (I speak in
hyperbole). You '11 earn money and feed it and be
like all the rest. No monument will ever be set up
to your memory but —
[Servant answers bell. Caller says something in-
audible. Exit through door.
poet (rising ; lifting hand)
But let there be graven in brass upon this house:
Romance was born again here out of due time and
died young. (He sits down)
[Enter Laborer and Clerk with Policeman. The
music stops.
POLICEMAN
Anything wrong here?
POET
Everything's wrong. They're going to kill Ro-
mance.
policeman (to Laborer)
This gentleman does n't seem quite right somehow.
LABORER
They 're none of them quite right tp-day.
[Music starts again.
POET
My God ! It is a duet.
POLICEMAN
He seems a bit wrong somehow.
LABORER
You should 'a seen the other one.
CURTAIN
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